Perfection is Overrated
by Theralion
Summary: As the Hime Carnival escalates, new arrivals- known as the SUEs- threaten to upset the balance of power and alter the world the Himes live in. Will their strange powers be too much for the Himes to overcome, or will their overconfidence in their perceived superiority be their undoing? A look at what happens when Mary Sues are on a level playing field with everyone else.
1. Prologue and A New Threat

**Prologue: Be Careful What You Wish For**

**Note**: Names are in Japanese order except for Western characters such as Alyssa Searrs. Additionally, the Himes and their Childs will be spelled out with normal capital and lowercase letters, to make it easier to type them out. When the SUEs are introduced, they will be in all capitals except for the s in plural or possessive.

Suou Mariko had virtually everything a girl could wish for at Fuuka Academy. She was the top student in her grade level, and possibly all of Japan. She was an excellent athlete. She was amazingly popular. She had also, as rumors told, grown up alone after the death of her parents, with the maturity of someone over a decade her senior.

But there was something odd about her, one that her classmate Tokiha Mai, a relatively new student at Fuuka Acaddemy, noticed from time to time. While Mai seemed to have an improbably deep affection for her despite having met her not long ago, her admirers, if pressed on what kind of person she was, could only list the myriad things she was good at and ways she was exceptional. But Mai realized she was a new student, and believed her ignorance of why Mariko was so amazing was because she was still fairly new.

During the school festival, Higurashi Akane brought Kurauchi Kazuya to a secluded spot to confess her feelings to him; he would always be second to Mariko for her, but she loved him, and hoped that he felt the same way about her. Suddenly, Miyu Greer arrived on the scene, pursued by an Orphan. Akane summoned all her courage, and then dispatched the Orphan with her Hime powers, revealing herself as a Hime in front of Kazuya when the back of her uniform was torn off. Having defeated her enemy, she stood facing a critical moment, more terrified than she was in any of her battles up to that point. Would Kazuya accept her for what she now had been revealed to be? The answer was yes, and the two embraced.

But then Miyu, having identified one of her targets, revealed her true colors as a robotic Searrs agent and attacked. After a short fight, she stabbed Akane's Child, Harry, with an arm blade, impaling the tiger-like Child. The rules of the Himes' powers were clear; the death of Akane's Child would lead to the death of Akane's most cherished person. And Mariko, who happened to be that person, would bear the consequences.

* * *

In Fuuka Academy's campus, Mariko felt a sudden throbbing pain in her chest, but managed to hold herself together long enough to dart into the unoccupied girls' bathroom. Sitting down on one of the toilets without bothering to lock the stall door, she tried to catch her breath, but the pain grew even greater, and green sparks began to come forth from her body as she began to fade away. The last thing she heard before her body disintegrated and scattered was someone calling out to ask if someone had run into the restroom.

Her death meant the end of her powers, and as a result, everyone forgot about her. Had they been there to witness her demise, she could have been saved with the powers of her Child, Baldur, but their absence resulted in her losing Baldur and her final death. She was only able to impress the people she knew through the gifts she had been given, and once those were taken away, nothing remained.

* * *

Back in the woods, Akane stood in disbelief as she reeled from Miyu's sudden betrayal and equally sudden departure.

"Akane-chan… that mark on your back… it's gone," Kazuya said.

"Really?" Akane asked. Kazuya nodded.

"But never mind about that, are you okay?"

"Y-yes," Akane said timidly. "I was told I'd have to put what was most precious to me on the line as a Hime, but how can this be if you're still here? There is one thing I am happy about, Kazu-kun; you accepted my feelings."

"That's exactly how I feel, Akane-chan," Kazuya said, smiling warmly, as the two started to walk back to the academy, hand in hand.

Akane had her worries about Miyu- why she had attacked, why she had departed so suddenly, and who or what she really was. She was also fairly certain that she could not defeat Miyu even if she still possessed her powers, and so resolved to give her a wide berth in the future. But if this day had opened her eyes to a danger she was unaware of, it also showed her that everything was as she hoped for with the boy she loved most.

Mariko, gifted with unnatural talents and charisma, may have won Akane's heart with her gifts, but by winning Akane's favor, lost her life like all those who had close bonds with defeated Himes. In this regard and being subject to the finality of death, Mariko was no different than any other human being.

But she was not the only one of her kind.

**Chapter 1: The New Threat**

Some time had passed since Akane's defeat and Mariko's death. Mariko was gone from the minds of her classmates and teachers, but her presence remained in the attendance rolls, causing some to wonder whether she had ever truly existed at all. Another disappearance, though less noticed, was Takamura Kyouji, a young college graduate who was a candidate for the position of history teacher at the high school. After several failed attempts to reach him for the second round of interviews, the hiring committee struck his name from the list of candidates and proceeded on to others.

Akane had her relationship with Kazuya, but was troubled by what she had learned about Miyu. Unsure who would believe her, who could do anything about the situation, and who might be another spy, Akane remained silent about what she had seen, even after Miyu disappeared from class. When the Searrs launched their attack and took over the school, she was sent to be tested along with the other girls, but was able to evacuate before her turn came up. Once the soldiers fled, Akane assumed that the strange events had ended.

But little did she know that Mariko was the first of many new arrivals intending to alter the world forever. For Akane, the battle had ended. For the rest of the Himes, it had only just begun.

A lone man walked up to an ATM late at night, inserting his card and entering his PIN. He then entered the maximum allowed withdrawal amount, took his money and walked away.

He then met with a girl who seemed old enough to be in high school, but was not attending. Her name was Kirihara Hitomi, and she had long dark hair, red eyes and relatively pale skin. The man handed Hitomi the money, as well as the money inside his wallet, his credit card and his ATM card, then walked away. As soon as he was out of sight, Hitomi released him from her control, leaving him with no idea of how he had gotten to where he was or what he had done.

As Hitomi counted her money, she felt a sense of disappointment. She had never failed in controlling people this way, but money hardly meant anything when she could control people into giving her anything else she desired. But more than anything else, there had to be something riskier, something more entertaining, than this. None of her targets could resist her, nor could she experience their feelings of helplessness.

The challenge would come sooner than she thought.

* * *

The next day, as Tokiha Mai and Kuga Natsuki stood over an injured Sister Sanada Yukariko, the nun's words seemingly pointed them to the prime suspect behind her attack. Yukariko had claimed that she had seen a spider attack her- the form Yuuki Nao's Child had- and had also named Nao herself in a faint and weak voice.

Mai thought to herself that something was amiss, even though despite Natsuki's dislike of Nao, her belief that Nao was guilty was somewhat reasonable. Yukariko seemed trustworthy enough, and Nao's personality, self-centeredness and declaration that she was striking out on her own cast her in a suspicious light. The recent revelation that only one Hime would remain standing at the end of the battle royale known as the Hime Carnival would give Nao a reason to eliminate the competition. But why would Nao target Yukariko first? And why would she do something that would arouse the hatred of her rivals and make herself the prime target, instead of keeping a low profile? Nao was the prime suspect, but she was merely a suspect, nevertheless.

A phone call on Mai's cell phone interrupted their thoughts before they could begin their pursuit.

"Wait, Natsuki, it's Midori-chan," Mai said, picking up her phone. "Tokiha Mai speaking," she said after taking the call.

"Mai-chan, it's me, Midori," Sugiura Midori, Mai's homeroom teacher and self-proclaimed leader of the "Hime Sentai", said. "I've just found some disturbing news reports saying people are making withdrawals from their bank accounts and can't remember what they did. It's possible some kind of mind control is involved, although the media and the cops would never accept that as reality. It might be the work of one of the unidentified Himes"

"We've got another problem on our end; Sister's hurt and she says Nao-chan attacked her."

"Get her to Yoko's office and meet me on the roof. But DON'T confront Nao-chan about this until you talk to me first; the incident with Sister and the one I'm looking into might be related."

"Got it," Mai said. "Natsuki, we need to take Sister to the nurse and then meet with Midori-chan in the garden. Someone out there seems to have the ability to control people's minds, and it's possible Sister got caught up somehow."

"I… I can go on my own," Yukariko said. "Go… meet with Sugiura-sensei. This… sounds important."

Mai then looked at Natsuki and the two exchanged skeptical glances before they and Yukariko went off in separate directions.

* * *

"I'm glad I called when I did," Midori said, as she spoke with Mai and Natsuki, as well as their fellow Himes Minagi Mikoto and Kikukawa Yukino. "It's entirely possible that someone is trying to frame Nao-chan."

"Or that she did it," Natsuki said. "With things as they are now, she might be trying to eliminate us to ensure that she makes it through the Carnival alive. Although… who apart from herself would she value enough to want to protect at all costs?"

"We don't know, but there are a few possibilities of how things turned out," Midori said. "The first, as you said, is that Nao-chan is indeed guilty. The second is that Sister is lying, although that hardly seems to be characteristic of her. The third possibility, if we do have someone who can use mind control, is that Nao-chan was controlled and forced to attack Sister."

"But if that's the case, and she doesn't remember what she did while controlled, then she would most likely deny it," Yukino said. "We couldn't tell if she were truthfully stating her innocence, covering up her guilt, or simply unable to remember."

"Unfortunately, that's a likely risk we'll have to face," Midori said. "So, Yukino-chan, would you like to skip some class and dig up some information on the mind-controller? I can call in a favor with Yoko and get you off the hook."

Mai sighed. _"Typical Midori-chan," _she thought. _"But I suppose we'll need Yukino-chan's help on this one."_

"Meanwhile, Mai-chan, you should try to talk with Nao-chan and get her side of the story. We might be able to learn about who's behind this."

"I'll try," Mai said hesitantly. She understood the importance of getting to the bottom of this, but realized Nao was a difficult person to deal with even under the best of circumstances, especially considering her intense dislike of Mai.

"You're all dismissed, but until this is cleared up, don't travel alone and stay on-campus as much as you can."

As Midori's fellow Himes left the garden, she couldn't help but feel as though there was yet another twist to the ongoing Carnival, one that would likely change the players and rules of the game.

* * *

**Author's Note**: In this story, the Himes will face a new threat, called the SUEs, from the beginning of the Carnival onward, which takes the story in a new direction. This is intended to look at the various Mary Sue character types, personality traits and impact on the plots and environments. The SUEs' powers are intended to symbolize their various effects on the plot, as well as be less obviously useful than many of the powers they're gifted with. For example, it's easy to see how to use a sword longer than one's body or a mode that augments all of one's abilities. By contrast, mind control is potentially even more useful, but only if one knows how to use it correctly.

Some of the SUEs will make significant, often fatal, mistakes out of almost unbelievable stupidity. This is intentional, in order to reflect the kinds of mistakes that Mary Sues often make. Sometimes, their authors use those mistakes are used half-hearted attempts for their writers to preserve the sense of drama- note that Mary Sues often have to come back from the dead. Alternatively, the writers have no idea how to write a Mary Sue who behaves in a competent manner. This time, while the SUEs are still very powerful, they will often find that they cannot afford to be careless. Additionally, not all of them will use their powers to their full potential.

The story will also focus on the canon characters, as it takes a different path from canon. They will ultimately be forced to consider their own personal issues, and in doing so, will learn important lessons, such as that life does not always give you what you want, that will help them stand against the SUEs' ideology.


	2. More Questions Than Answers

**Chapter 2: More Questions Than Answers**

"What do you want, Tokiha?" Nao asked bluntly as Mai and Mikoto approached her in her and Aoi's room in the evening after classes, while Aoi and Chie were having lunch together at an on-campus dining location. Mai grimaced at Nao's hostile greeting; the only way the situation could have gotten worse was if Nao's arch-nemesis Natsuki were present as well.

"Nao-chan, we'd like to ask you a question; have you seen Sister lately?"

"No," Nao said tersely, hoping that Mai would get to the point.

"Could you please describe what you were doing earlier today?" Mai said.

Nao then gave a list of her daily activities, none of which involved robbing people in town. She said she was sitting against a tree for much of the day, including, as Mai noticed, the time of the attack. The location was some distance from the attack, and Mai noted that if Yukariko had been there, she would have had to run to reach the location where she was found, a difficult feat in her condition.

"Just what is this about?" Nao said impatiently.

"Nao-chan, Sister is claiming that you attacked her. It's currently her word against yours, but..."

"But what?" Nao said, harshly cutting off Mai. "You trust the oh-so-pious and respectable nun over the girl with questionable nighttime activities?"

"I'm not saying you did, but there is someone out there with the power to control minds," Mai said, firmly. "It's possible you were controlled and don't remember it, since the victims are unable to remember what they did."

"No, I didn't see, much less attack Sister today. If I was controlled, how the hell would I know?"

Mai's expression sank as she realized Yukino's prediction had come true. Nao, if she was telling the truth, knew nothing that would be of any use to Mai. However, even Natsuki would, as things were at the moment, have to concede there was not enough evidence to conclude that Nao was, beyond a doubt, the culprit.

"So, are you done here?" Nao said as Mai, lost in thought, gave no response for half a minute.

"Yes, I'm sorry to bother you, Nao-chan," Mai said. "As it stands now, there's no proof you were the attacker."

Nao's glaring at Mai continued unabated.

"Nao, we're just trying to help," Mikoto said with a hint of desperation. "Mai just wants to figure out more about this person Midori says is controlling people's minds and robbing them."

"I already told you I'm not interested in helping you people any longer," Nao said. "If some people are having their bank accounts robbed, it's not my problem."

"Still, this mind controller seems like a threat," Mai said. "Stay on-campus and try not to go alone; I have a feeling this woman won't stop at robbing people, and I don't want you to be her victim."

Nao's expression turned confused for a moment at Mai's concern. Wasn't Mai here to interrogate her and find evidence indicating her guilt? And why would she be concerned for someone who had expressed nothing but loathing for her?

"…Fine," was all Nao could bring herself to say in response.

"I'll see you later, Nao-chan. Say hi to Aoi-chan for me, and tell her I'll be busy for a little while."

Mikoto and Mai then walked out of Nao and Aoi's room, shutting the door behind them as they left. As they walked back into their own room, Mikoto noticed Mai's look of disappointment and frustration.

"Mai?" Mikoto said. "Do you think Nao's telling the truth?"

"It's hard to say," Mai said. "But what we do know is that regardless of whether Sister's attack is relevant, this mind controller is a much larger issue, particularly considering that I suspect that this person hasn't done anything worse only due to a lack of motivation. Let's hope Yukino-chan found something useful."

* * *

"Kikukawa-san? Are you not feeling well?" Yoko the nurse said as Yukino entered her office.

"I have a headache;" Yukino said. "It's difficult to concentrate in class, and I'd like to lie down. Sugiura-sensei gave me a note."

Yoko opened the envelope, finding a letter written as a typical teacher note. "Dear Sagisawa-sensei, Kikukawa-san is not feeling well. Please excuse her…" Yoko glanced at it skeptically; Midori using such formal language was as shocking as seeing her in a business suit. But then Yoko found a folded note on a small index card secreted in the folds of the letter.

"Yoko," the note began, "Consider this repayment for my covering for you on the last 'medical alcohol incident.' Let Yukino-chan out of class for the time being, leave her alone as much as you can and burn this note after reading, and we're square. Midori."

Yoko sighed.

"I have no idea what's going on, Kikukawa-san, but this stays between us."

"Thank you, sensei," Yukino said, bowing before taking a seat on the bed. "Oh, and did Sister Yukariko stop by here earlier?"

"She did, but I took a look at her and her arm looked fine. She seemed a little confused about it though; she'd initially thought Yuuki-san attacked her, but by the time I spoke with her, she wasn't as sure any more."

"I see, thank you." Yukino said, realizing that the the theory that Nao was responsible had almost certainly been proven false. The only question remaining was whether the mind controller was involved.

Yukino then got into bed, and shut the curtains. Yoko was unaware of the real reason behind Yukino's nurse visit, and there was the possibility of an additional person coming in.

"Diana." She said softly, calling out the magical mirrors of her Child. She turned them to all the automated teller machines in the city. Within half an hour, she was able to find a person leaving the machine and handing her money to a girl with dark hair.

This transaction immediately struck Yukino as suspicious. It also was suspicious to an officer at the scene, who came over, and began questioning the girl. Suddenly, the girl panicked, and a small blue orb on the base of the woman's neck flew over and landed on the police officer's. The officer then drew his gun, a blank look on his face, as the woman's expression changed, showing her disorientation at the release of control. The officer fired his pistol twice, and as the woman fell to the ground, dead, an expression of incredulity frozen on her face. The officer then, with the same placidity as before, put a gun to his head and pulled the trigger. As the girl's grim resolve faded from her face, a twisted grin began spreading across it.

Yukino reeled in horror, unable to comprehend what had transpired in front of her, but managed to take a photo of what had happened with her cell phone. Suddenly, Yukino heard a familiar boisterously loud voice outside the nurse's office.

"What do you mean she's not seeing anyone?" Haruka shouted. "Even if she's reinflating, I brought notes from class today!"

Originally, Mai had intended to bring the notes, combined with a secret message on the progress of the investigation, to Yukino, but Haruka had intercepted her, insisted on taking Yukino the notes, and told Mai that rather than waste time running errands, she should be studying and improving her grades.

"Suzushiro-san, please keep your voice down, Kikukawa-san's trying to rest!" Yoko said. "And you mean she's recuperating."

Yukino was then faced with a split-second decision. She now knew the suspect's modus operandi, but it was still too early to order a pursuit without a plan, especially now that it became clear that the girl was willing to murder anyone who got in her way. Yukino quickly dismissed Diana to avoid the immediate risk of her closest friend and the nurse finding out her true powers.

"Sensei, it's all right," Yukino said, opening the curtains while Haruka and Yoko were still talking. "I'm feeling somewhat better, Haruka-chan."

"Good to hear," Haruka said. "Here's some notes from class today."

Yukino browsed over the notes on a tablet of paper,, and everything seemed to be as normal. However, written upside down on the back of a page was a secret message, "Nao-chan is denying everything," followed by another, "Sorry; I tried to deliver them myself, but Suzushiro-san insisted on seeing you. She seemed a bit worried about you, not that she'd openly admit it."

"Thank you, Haruka-chan," Yukino said. "And if you see Mai-chan, let her know I'm thankful for her help, too."

Yukino had mixed feelings in response to Haruka's arrival. Haruka's kindness, while not always obvious given her brash and outspoken demeanor, warmed her heart as it always did. However, she also felt a great measure of guilt for lying to Haruka time and again about her Hime status, as well as for her immediate reaction being concern that her cover would be blown rather than appreciation.

As Yukino approached the situation repeatedly from different perspectives, she always found herself going back to the same two questions.

"_Do I really need to keep this secret from Haruka-chan? And is it really a problem so beyond normal people's comprehension that she cannot help at all?"_

* * *

"I hate to put it this way, but is there any _good_ news?" Midori said on a telephone conversation with Yukino, having heard Yukino's report on Hitomi's abilities, including her killing the woman she was robbing and the police officer.

"From what I can observe, only one person can be controlled at once," Yukino said. "Otherwise, she would not have taken the risk of releasing the woman from control."

"Speaking of risks, she must have been pushed against the wall if she thought she had to resort to killing them," Midori said. "None of the victims that I heard about committed suicide."

"That sounds correct," Yukino said. "Perhaps if she gets caught again, she'll panic enough to make a larger mistake."

"Any more luck finding her?"

"No, unfortunately," Yukino said. "After attracting a police officer's attention, she seems to have decided to lie low, and is a bit more cautious; none of the ATMs seem to have been used by her manipulated victims. It's likely she's decided to call it a day"

"Get everyone together tomorrow; I'll formulate a plan to find her and take her down. If we take her on unprepared, we may well get ourselves killed."

* * *

"It looks as though someone else interfered," Ishigami said after Yukariko told him of what happened in the art room.

"I-I'm sorry, Wataru-san; they weren't going to believe me and…"

"Don't be, Yukariko," Ishigami said. "This girl is a wild card, beneficial to no one's plans but her own; dealing with her takes precedence."

Ishigami stared at one of his unfinished paintings contemplatively. Yukariko was still loyal to him and was trusted by the other Himes, so the plan was not a complete loss. However, he became concerned about who this girl was. She was not listed as a known Hime, and he had not seen her take out her Child, so he was uncertain of the source of her powers. Perhaps she could divide the Himes, but it was more likely she would become an enemy whom they would rally against; if her crimes became worse, the selfless Himes would see it as their moral duty to stop her, while even the selfish ones would not risk their own safety by leaving her alive.

"Um…" Yukariko began.

"Don't worry, this stays between us," Ishigami said. "After all, things would be quite bad for you if it got out."

Yukariko, as naïve as she was, recognized the implications behind what Ishigami had said. She had made her decision, and would be beholden to him if she wished to keep it a secret.

Yukariko then took her leave, returned to the chapel and knelt down to pray. But instead of guidance, all she found while doing so was a greater sense of despair.

"_What have I done?" she thought._

* * *

Elsewhere, Hitomi stood and watched, with a smirk on her face, near the site of a fatal traffic accident she had caused, as she had forced a man to leap off an overpass, into the path of an oncoming truck. Blood pooled around the fresh corpse as the truck driver slumped over the steering wheel in disbelief at what had happened.

"_Shouldn't you be more careful? That was a close call last time" _a mysterious male voice, using telepathy, said into her mind.

"_Who the hell are you and why would you care?"_ Hitomi mentally responded.

"_I have a certain interest in seeing to it that you continue to remain active and undetected. I have a plan that would be beneficial to both of us that will succeed if you kill-"_

"_Just shut up, asshole! No one tells me what to do!"_ At Hitomi's response, the voice faded from her mind and never returned.

Hitomi was in a bad mood at the intrusion in her mind, but her mood improved when she looked back on how much fun she had. She had killed quite a few people this evening since the police officer's intervention, and found immense satisfaction in it that far exceeded what she had gotten out of the robberies. Now that she had a few chances to test out her powers' murderous potential, she would take her game to the next level.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Thank you for the reviews so far.

One thing you should take note of is that while the SUEs' morals are skewed at best (if given the choice between saving the one they love and a bus full of innocent people, they would choose the one they love every time), and utterly psychotic at worst (Hitomi's behavior in this chapter will pale in comparison to what she does in the next, although she is possibly the most evil of all the SUEs), they are, however, based on _heroic_ Mary Sues, and their actions are not supposed to be any worse than the characters they are based on, although they will seem worse. A character casually murdering another over a minor issue would come off as unforgivable in most stories, but is treated as acceptable by some Mary Sues' authors. In those cases, if you take away the author's bias, you can see drastic changes in which side is more sympathetic, and that is an effect I am trying to replicate here.


	3. Moral Event Horizon

**Chapter 3: Moral Event Horizon**

**Warning**: This chapter is the main reason I decided to give this fic an M rating. Skip the first and last scenes if brutal murder offend you.

Later that evening, Hitomi saw a pair of uniformed patrolmen discussing something with each other, standing outside a family restaurant. Remaining out of sight, she launched her control probe at the officer on the left's neck. On her command, he drew his pistol and fired it into the back of his partner's head, causing him to crumple to the ground. A waitress ran out to investigate the noise, and the officer shot her in the chest, killing her. Retrieving his partner's pistol and ammunition, the possessed officer proceeded inside.

The fact that the three noises were gunshots had become apparent to the crowd at the restaurant, and they rushed to the back exit. The officer fired several times into the crowd, causing some of the slower patrons to fall. As the officer's gun ran out of ammunition, he quickly switched to his partner's, firing on the ones who had not yet escaped.

As the officer reloaded, one woman, hiding under a table after her boyfriend had been shot dead in his attempt to escape, saw her chance to flee. The officer then fired at her, hitting her in the right leg, then performed the coup de grace by shooting her in the back of her head. The officer then proceeded to the back, surveying the fallen for anyone who was not fatally wounded. With cold precision, the officer executed an old woman who had been shot in the arm, a man trapped under a dead body, and a girl in an overturned wheelchair, by shooting them in the heads, leaving a man who was clutching a gunshot wound to the stomach, as well as a woman who had apparently gone into shock.

Hitomi watched from the psychic link granted by her abilities, enabling her to hear and see whatever her possessed victim saw should she choose to do so. However, she realized that her cruel and twisted fun was at an end, as the officer had only two more bullets and sirens were blaring. There was another noise, however, that was equally repulsive to her; she noticed that an infant girl, left behind by her slain parents, was wailing, having been exposed to horrors she could not yet comprehend. Hitomi then became irritated- no one should spoil her attempt to savor the last of the massacre- and she quickly ordered the officer to fire a bullet at the infant, silencing the baby forever. As the officers approached the restaurant, Hitomi commanded the officer to put the gun to his head and pull the trigger.

Officer Yamanaka Soichiro was pronounced dead at the scene. He was an excellent police officer, a faithful husband and a loving father, but most would remember him only as a mass murderer.

* * *

The next day, an assembly was convened in the Fuuka Academy auditorium. As the students stood, separated by school level, rumors buzzed among the older students over what happened the previous night. Some had heard via word of mouth, others had watched the television or looked at the breaking story the local newspaper had posted online, and others were merely speculating why they were called in on such short notice. Only a handful of them even realized the true implications of what had transpired, and who the culprit was.

Shizuru, the student council president and the most visible authority figure for the student body, went to the podium and called the assembly to attention.

"May I have your attention?" she began. "Good morning. I am Student Council President Fujino Shizuru, and today, with great sadness, I have an announcement to make. At 9 p.m. last night, a gunman went on a shooting spree at a local restaurant. 20 people are dead, including the gunman who started the massacre, and several more are wounded. Among the dead are high school second-year Ishida Miho-san."

Shizuru paused to consider what to say next. At the emergency Student Council meeting early in the morning, they had learned that the police had already notified the victims' families, but were refusing to release a description of the culprit yet, although rumors were spreading that it was a police officer.

"Some of you may have heard various theories on who carried out this massacre or why they did it. Rest assured that the police are conducting a full investigation to determine these facts for certain. While they do so, it is imperative that we do not point fingers or engage in wild speculation, but stand together as an academic community. This tragedy has affected us all, but we can find strength and comfort from each other."

The crowd seemed to be calmed by Shizuru's somber, yet serene façade, but Shizuru inwardly doubted herself. There was little she could tell the students that would make sense of this tragedy when she did not understand it herself. Something was amiss at the core of it, but while she had her theories, she did not yet know what aroused her suspicion.

* * *

"Natsuki, I'm a bit surprised to see you came to the assembly," Shizuru said, meeting with Natsuki outside the auditorium.

"I'm not stone cold enough that a tragedy like this doesn't affect me on some level," Natsuki said. "But I was also coming to talk to you for a minute after you were done here; I know I've kept you in the dark about some of my activities, but I think now you need to know a bit more."

"That's good to hear, but isn't trusting you enough?"

"It was back when there was still a chance to leave you out of this, or at least make your participation indirect, but it appears the problems I deal with are spilling over and dragging more and more people into them. Listen, Shizuru, you gave a good speech, one that would be a good way to pacify a distraught student body, but to put it bluntly, some of those 'wild speculations' may be closer to fact than you realize."

"How so?" Shizuru asked. Natsuki, in response, pulled out her phone and showed her a picture Yukino had sent her.

"This girl, who apparently has long dark hair and red eyes, the latter similar to yours, and wears a trench coat, is apparently able to mind control her victims. It's thus most likely that she was somehow able to control the shooter in this incident."

Natsuki was surprised at Shizuru's _lack_ of surprise or disbelief at Natsuki's wild claim.

"That is one possibility, and would explain why she so easily discarded the shooter now that he was no longer useful and a possible liability," Shizuru said. "Unfortunately, Natsuki, the police are unlikely to believe this, and neither will the student body- tragically, one of the rumors I heard was that the shooter, is an Officer Yamanaka Soichiro, the father of a middle schooler, Yamanaka Kasumi-san. Yamanaka-san may very well bear the brunt of the academy's anger over this tragedy, despite arguably suffering the most of all the living. With that in mind, what potential good can my knowing that the mastermind is able to use mind control do?"

"I'll be honest, Shizuru; I'm not the sort of person who's on a mission to save everyone in the world, although I would rather not see a tragedy like this happen again. I'm simply passing along information to help protect a friend from danger. But I've got to get going; we're meeting to discuss a way to take her down once and for all."

Shizuru smiled at Natsuki's desire for her well-being, but that smile soon turned wistful as Natsuki said her goodbyes, and hurried to get to the meeting of the Himes on the rooftop.

"_Natsuki… have you ever questioned what you mean to those closest to you?" _Shizuru thought.

* * *

Natsuki rushed up to the rooftop, and found Midori in the middle of a speech to the assembled Himes; Midori and Yukariko were standing side by side, as were Mikoto and Nao, with Yukino and Mai standing alone.

"Oh, you're finally here, Natsuki-chan!" Midori said.

"What did I miss?" Natsuki asked.

"Not much; we were basically discussing what our plans were, but haven't decided on a concrete plan yet," Midori said. "What we do know, however, is that with class cancelled, today is our best chance to take down the mind controller, and to do that, we'll need to form groups. I'm thinking you might go best with Mai-chan or Nao-chan"

"Wait, Nao's here?" Natsuki said, then looked over to Nao, noticing her for the first time. "I thought you didn't care about this sort of thing."

"Save it, Kuga," Nao said harshly, yet determinedly. "The mind controller has stepped over the line with this; she killed innocent men, women and children for no reason other than fun. Not even I can overlook this, especially considering how much this is like... never mind. But if you don't believe that, then think of it this way- if she's killing indiscriminately, there's no way to rule myself out as a potential victim, and it's easier to stop her with your help."

"But are you sure you're ok with this, Sister?" Natsuki said.

"Yes…" Yukariko said, a bit nervous about being put on the spot. "Like Sugiura-sensei suggested, I might have been controlled back then; my memories are…. fuzzy. I'm sorry I suspected you, Nao-san."

Nao snorted derisively. She was in no mood to accept Yukariko's apology, but realized that it would be neither useful nor entertaining to press the issue. She also did not realize that while Yukariko's regret was sincere, she was not telling the truth about what she needed to apologize for.

The team assignments were handed out. Yukino was to stay behind and survey the area with Diana's ability. Mai and Natsuki comprised one team, chosen as a mixture of offensive and defensive abilities. Nao was paired with Mikoto, both to complement her heavy short-range attacks and because Mikoto was the only member of the team with whom she was on good terms. Yukariko and Midori would form the third team.

* * *

Elsewhere, Amane Tatsuya slowly regained his senses. He was inside his apartment, but the last thing he was aware of was waiting for the bus to go to work.

His wife, Taiga, lay at his feet, her throat cut and her clothes torn off. Her face was bruised, and her eyes, now glazed over, stared accusingly at her living husband.

Tatsuya then realized he was holding a bloody knife in his hand, and that his pants were undone around his ankles. It then immediately became clear to him what he had done, but how could he have done it? His wife was the person he loved most in the world, so how could he slaughter her so easily if he cherished her so much? She trusted him and he always wanted to make sure he was worthy of that trust, so how could he betray her in such a way? And what would everyone think of him now that he had done something unforgivable? There would be no way to convince them that he was not himself when he had done it, no way to recover what he had lost, and thus no hope left for him.

Hitomi, watching through a secondary ability that enabled her to see through the eyes of a target without controlling him, could not help but chuckle at Tatsuya's anguish as well as Taiga's horror, agony and disbelief in her traumatic final minutes. She was laughing at the unfamiliar, the same way a stranger laughs at a foreign culture's seemingly impractical traditions and standards . The entire concept of remorse for one's actions, which she considered an emotion only felt by the weak, amused her, and so she had him commit two of the worst acts in society- judged as such for reasons she could not and did not want to comprehend- so that his suffering would be greatest. As for Taiga, Hitomi relished seeing how much she had suffered before she died, especially when it had been at the hands of someone she had loved and trusted, and was glad that she had decided to force Tatsuya to rape her, despite it being a spur of the moment decision before the murder. This, for her, was so much more enjoyable than merely robbing her victims.

But as enjoyable as Hitomi had found her time with the Amanos, all games had to come to an end. Her goal had always been to kill them, and so she re-established control over Tatsuya and forced him to plunge the knife into his throat, and he was dead in seconds.

The rest of the world would never know the difference. To them, Tatsuya was a despicable individual who raped and murdered his wife, and committed suicide to avoid the consequences of his actions. This thought, and the realization that the day was still young and there was time for more entertainment like this, caused a wicked grin to cross Hitomi's face.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Hitomi's last actions in this chapter warrant some commentary. They are meant to be a look at two fairly disturbing trends in fan fiction I've noticed, generally mutually exclusive.

1. Rape, especially by the protagonist, is not treated with appropriate seriousness.

2. Rape is used as a cheap way to establish someone as evil.

Here, I intended to, in a sense, combine the two as a motivation for Hitomi's actions; she obviously doesn't consider rape to be wrong, just like her many other atrocities, but she has some awareness of how society finds it objectionable. This is a troubling combination when you consider her enjoyment in forcing people to do things they would never do if they were their normal selves.


	4. On the Hunt

**Chapter 4: On The Hunt**

"Goodbye, Onee-chan, please be careful too," Takumi said, before hanging up his cell phone in his room. Akira, the roommate whose secret identity he had recently learned, sat on her bed.

"What was your sister calling about?" Akira asked.

"She's telling us to stay inside; it's not safe to leave campus."

"I see," Akira said with a note of skepticism in her voice

"What's wrong, Akira-kun?" Takumi asked. "Do you think that my sister's not telling us something?"

"How would I know?" Akira replied with some irritation. "She still seems to think I'm not a Hime, and not even a girl, so she probably doesn't think I can be trusted, much less deal with what's out there."

"Or maybe she thinks it's not your battle, and doesn't want to get you involved in something so dangerous," Takumi said. The possibility of it being something supernatural had occurred to him, as it had been in his mind since the first time he was fully conscious when he was attacked by an Orphan and he had seen Akira dispatch the Orphan with equally strange powers. Akira also considered the possibility, but saw another question as more pertinent.

"_What exactly would be 'my' battle?"_ Akira thought. She had been trained from a young age as a warrior, learning things such as fighting with her bare hands and weapons skills such as situational awareness and stealth, and most of all, that it would be necessary to risk her life or take someone else's in order to succeed.

But Takumi, the boy who was able to relate to her as a human being, not a Hime or a soldier, was one person she could not easily give up. She could not bring herself to kill him even when he had compromised the unique tactical advantage that hiding her gender- and thus the possibility of her being a Hime- had given. But now with the Carnival in full swing, there were only two paths ahead of her- get to the end with Takumi or lose him as the cost of her defeat.

Akira had no solution for what to do about her being entered against her will in a tournament in which she had to put the person dearest to her at stake. But she knew that she could not risk Takumi while rushing to confront an unknown threat.

"All right, we'll stay inside for today," Akira said.

* * *

"You're sure about this, Tokiha?" Yuuichi said after Mai explained what she was up against.

"Definitely," Mai said over the phone. "Tate, I know you wanted to visit Shiho-chan in the hospital today, but…"

"…I'll get killed if I go out?" Yuuichi said. "I don't think the risk is that great."

"That's only one possibility," Mai said. "Our killer could easily possess you, force you to kill Shiho-chan, and then either force you to kill yourself or leave you behind to take the fall for it."

"I doubt I'm going to get a good answer to this, but the obvious question is how do I know that you're not possessed at the moment, Tokiha?"

Mai paused before answering.

"You don't; we currently don't know the limitations of the killer's powers- the killer somehow was able to make the victims put their ATM numbers in- so I doubt it would work if you asked me something only I know. But one thing we've noticed is that the killer has grown careful about her mind control ability, and will kill anyone who suspects she has it. She wouldn't let me tell you this much."

Yuuichi sighed before answering.

"I suppose I understand what you're saying, but I'm still a little upset about not getting to see Shiho, especially since it's my fault she got hurt. And I'm also hoping that the cop from last night just snapped instead of being unlucky enough to get used as a pawn. But good luck and be careful, Tokiha."

"You too, Tate."

Mai then turned to Natsuki as the two prepared to leave. For the moment, those closest to her without powers would not become involved in the fight. This was her and her comrades' battle, and she was determined to put an end to Hitomi's activities before more people who had done nothing to deserve being slain by Hitomi and who had no power to resist her fell victim to her mind control.

* * *

Mai and Natsuki set out into the city. Their school uniforms might have been seen as evidence of their truancy, but the newspapers had mentioned that the tragedy at the restaurant had resulted In class being cancelled. They were looking for any signs of strange behavior. Through this time, Mai suspected she had seen someone following them, although Natsuki was unable to notice

Eventually, Natsuki and Mai found a multi-story parking garage Suddenly, Natsuki reacted in shock.

"What is it, Natsuki?" Mai said.

"I think I saw someone go in there," Natsuki said.

They entered through the side stairs and walked up several stories. Midway to the top, they exited and, turning right, went to a corner where relatively few cars were parked, but which had a door for maintenance access. While Mai was investigating possible hiding spots in the corner, she heard a click and felt a gun pointed at her head.

"Don't move," Natsuki said.

"Natsuki… what are you doing?" Mai asked. Unbeknownst to her, the blue probe slithered out from beneath Natsuki's skirt; it was merely a false assumption that it had to be on a visible part of her body.

"How many of you are there?" Natsuki asked, turning off Mai's phone as well as her own. "How many of you are looking for me?"

"You…" Mai said, noticing the implications of what the possessed Natsuki was saying, particularly asking a question to which she should already know the answer. While she was unable to turn her head, she was able to see, through a side mirror of a nearby car, a dark-haired figure approaching.

* * *

Elsewhere, Yukino saw what was going on, and placed a call to Midori's team, which was closest.

Midori heard her phone ringing, and she and Yukariko came to a stop.

"Hi, Midori speaking," Midori said.

"Sugiura-sensei!" Yukino said. "Mai-chan and Kuga-san found the suspect; but Kuga-san has been controlled into taking Mai-chan hostage! They're at the parking lot at…"

Yukino told Midori the address, but feared they were too far away for her and Yukariko to save them.

But then Yukino, scanning Mai and Natsuki's location yet again, noticed someone else she recognized.

_"Why are you here?"_ Yukino thought.

* * *

"It's a lucky thing I saw you two dumbasses asking around," Hitomi said. "And it should be obvious to you now, if you know who I am, that it would be easier if you just answer my questions."

"If I do, you'll just have Natsuki kill me, then kill herself," Mai said defiantly. "Maybe you'll even have her torture me fi-"

Mai was cut off as Natsuki kneed Mai in her right leg, causing her to drop to her knees, clutching her leg.

"Easier for _me_," Hitomi said, "If you cooperate quickly, then I can have a little fun before I put the two of you out of your misery."

"FUN!?" Mai said incredulously, realizing that stalling for time was the best solution. "You think killing innocent people and forcing others to commit atrocities is fun?"

"Yes it is," Hitomi said. "And by putting people under my control, I enable them to throw off all their foolish inhibitions- their pride, their fear of the consequences, their sense of self-preservation, and most of all, their conscience! For those minutes, they can be as free as I am! This power does not only allow me to get what I want, but it allows me to do them a favor as well! Their lives are a small price to pay for that freedom!"

"Besides your approval of monstrous acts, you're not granting them freedom at all!" Mai said! "You're turning them into your puppets!"

Hitomi, ignoring Mai, handed Natsuki a piece of paper and a pen, Natsuki quickly wrote down the names of the other Himes looking for Hitomi while keeping her Element trained on Mai.

"See?" Hitomi said. "Thanks to your friend here, I was able to find out my other pursuers, even if you won't divulge everything I need to know. Now I no longer have any use for you, so I can enjoy myself for a little while. Behold my Child, Axon!

Axon rose from the ground, a tangled mass of oversized nerves. Mai looked on in terror, and with good reason; it could cause its victim to feel anything its mistress desired, from exquisite pleasure to agonizing pain. But with Natsuki threatening her, she could not summon Kagutsuchi or even her Element.

Suddenly, a red naginata sliced Axon in half, and another stroke cleaved it in half yet again. The Child disappeared in green flames, and the blue probe on Natsuki's neck vanished. As the flames disappeared, Natsuki and Mai turned to see their rescuer; a girl whom they recognized by her light brown hair, red eyes and the Fuuka Academy student council president uniform.

"Shizuru?" Natsuki said

"President?" Mai said.

Shizuru smiled and nodded.

"How… How dare you interfere?!" Hitomi said.

"You've done many unforgivable things- killing innocent police officers, massacring crowds of people and threatening to kill high school students merely for trying to stop the killings- someone had to stop you eventually," Shizuru said. "But even without all that, all the reason I need is that you threatened Natsuki."

Suddenly, Hitomi had an irregular heartbeat and clutched her chest.

"Ahhhhhh!" she cried out in pain and fear. "No….it can't end this way! I'm superior to you all! I can do whatever I want! You have no right to stop me... AIIEEEEE!"

As Hitomi's final cry echoed in the garage, her body disintegrated into green sparks and faded away. Natsuki, Mai and Shizuru looked on in surprise.

"Natsuki, Tokiha-san, are you all right?" Shizuru asked after taking a moment to compose herself.

"You saved us, Shizuru…" Natsuki said. "But… you're a Hime, too?"

"I didn't want you to find out," Shizuru said. "You'd have taken too much consideration toward me if you'd known I was also out there, helping you surreptitiously. But I couldn't hold back this time."

"I understand, Shizuru, and appreciate it," Natsuki said. "But tell me… when I was hunting Orphans, some of them disappeared suddenly. Was that you?"

Shizuru nodded in response to Natsuki's question, and suddenly, Shizuru's phone began to ring. She checked the caller ID, noticing "Kikukawa Yukino".

"I think Kikukawa-san realizes that I'm skipping out on council work," Shizuru said. "Don't worry, I can make up a plausible excuse."

"But Yukino's…" Natsuki said before Shizuru picked up her phone.

"Hello, Fujino Shizuru speaking," Shizuru said

"President Fujino, what happened over there? Are Mai-chan and Kuga-san safe?"

"H-how did you know?" Shizuru said.

"I've been watching from afar. I see you, Mai-chan and Kuga-san in the garage where the mind controller once was."

"Yes, Natsuki and Tokiha-san are well. I'll put you on speaker phone."'

"This is Mai, the mind controller possessed Natsuki, but the president destroyed her Child, freeing her."

"This is Natsuki; Shizuru defeated the mind controller; something happened after we destroyed her Child and now she's dead."

"It's good to hear that you're safe; let's talk later once everyone's back on campus." Yukino said, then hung up.

"Sorry I didn't tell you, Shizuru," Natsuki said. "Yukino was the one who found out what the killer looks like with powers that enable her to observe from a distance while remaining undetected."

"That's how I managed to track her down," Shizuru said. "I'll have to thank Kikukawa-san for that later."

* * *

"Good work, everyone," Midori said, after hearing Shizuru's report. "And we're glad to have you with us, President!"

"It is my honor, Sugiura-sensei," Shizuru said, bowing. "Please treat me kindly in your group." After a brief moment, Shizuru spoke again. "I do have something else to point out, though; this girl did not appear to be in the Fuuka Academy's database, meaning she was most likely not a student."

"That's odd," Natsuki said. "I could have sworn the First District was gathering the Himes together. Wouldn't she factor into their plans?"

"But, as far as I could tell, she had an Element and a Child," Mai said. "What is she if she isn't a Hime?"

"Maybe we Himes are not the only ones out there with powers," Midori said. "And for that reason, we need to band together. I know that some of you have… differences with each other, but it's likely that more like this girl will come, and they will get progressively more dangerous. We'll need to stick together for challenges we can't face alone."

The rest of the Himes nodded in agreement. After a moment, even Nao responded in kind.

A part of Nao she was reluctant to admit to herself, much less others, was uneasy at the possibility of more individuals like Hitomi existing. She had heard what had happened, and realized that if she had tried to face Hitomi alone, she would have been turned into a puppet and placed at her opponent's mercy. From here on out, survival required cooperating with the others, and while Nao was reluctant to get along with her fellow Himes, she realized she had no choice but to do things that were difficult for her in order to survive.

The same went for the rest of the Himes.

* * *

Elsewhere, the one who had attempted to advise Hitomi became aware of Hitomi's defeat and death. Her dying without inflicting a single casualty on the Himes was disappointing, but she was reckless and he could not expect much more from her. There would be others like her who could carry on against the Himes, and were more likely to listen to him. If even one of them succeeded, all his plans would come to fruition and he would have power beyond imagining.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Again, thank you for the reviews. The first "story arc" has concluded, and I'm hoping you will continue to stay tuned as the battle between the Himes and the SUEs goes on.

To stelar: The story is largely a question of, as I stated before, whether Mary Sues would be able to survive without preferential treatment, and what kind of people they would truly come off as. Hitomi's actions would be seen as justified as some others, but viewed in more objective terms as in here, she comes off as a monster without a conscience or SUEs will represent various types of Mary Sues and the effect they have on; so far, you've seen a classic Mary Sue who's loved by everyone and a sociopath who does what she likes and expects no resistance, and more kinds will come up in future chapters.

Please keep in mind that at this point, the Himes have only had their first actual confrontation with a SUE, and are, at this point unaware of the existence of a separate class of superpowered individuals. More details about the SUEs will be revealed in the chapters to come. Another part of the story is that characters who are forced to deal with their flaws and undergo personal growth will triumph over those like the SUEs, who, complacent in their own supposed perfection, do not believe they have to do any such thing. The story will also deal with the Himes working to deal with their own personal problems (for example, Yukino will become more confident and courageous over time), which often tie into their battles against the SUEs and, in the end, enable them to realize why the SUEs cannot and should not succeed.


	5. The First of Several

**Chapter 5: The First of Several**

"You are certain you know nothing?" Kazehana Mashiro, director of Fuuka Academy, said to Nagi in her office as her attempt to ask him about Hitomi's powers proved fruitless.

"Positive," Homura Nagi, the enigmatic figure watching over the actions of the Himes, said. "It seems like we've got at least two uninvited participants in the Carnival so far. Remember, Alyssa-chan wasn't a real Hime, either."

Mashiro furrowed her brow as she considered Nagi's odd word choice. To not be on top of the goings-on of the Hime Carnival was unlike him, and possibly a lie, but he had also let slip that there had- or would be- others, at least in his opinion. The possibility remained of the existence of a third party, one that was able to manipulate the rules and change the stakes more than anyone else in the "game."

* * *

"Is something wrong, President Fujino?" Mai asked Shizuru in the hallway a few days after learning of her status as a Hime.

"It's strange… " Shizuru said. "As despicable a person as that woman with the ability to control minds was, and how necessary it was to deal with her for your sake, Natsuki's sake and the sake of all her other future victims, I still am having difficulty coming to terms with my having taken a life."

"I don't know what I could say that would help…." Mai said. "I learned not long ago that by destroying Alyssa-chan's Child, I had killed someone, and realizing that my actions, regardless of my intent or motivations, killed someone, was painful. However, at the time, I had to destroy Artemis to protect the school and I simply chose what I knew in my heart to be right- protecting others. As such, I know I would have had to make the same choice if i had to make that decision again, and I believe the same applies to you. I'm grateful for your help saving me, and for also protecting my friend, Natsuki," she said, bowing in gratitude.

"You're most welcome, Tokiha-san," Shizuru said pleasantly, albeit not completely relieved of her emotional burden. "I appreciate your kind words, and am glad Natsuki's making friends besides me."

"But something else is bothering me," Mai said. "Nagi said the death of the Child or the Hime herself would trigger the death of the person most important to the Hime. In this case, the Hime herself died- which we might consider relatively fortunate if it's the alternative to an innocent victim. But Alyssa-chan and Miyu-san were almost inseparable, and I heard later that Miyu-san was still alive well after the Child had been destroyed. Is it possible that Nagi is lying?"

"Maybe the latter case should be looked at differently," Shizuru said. "It's entirely possible for you to consider someone your dearest person, but for that person to not hold you In the same esteem. For example…" Shizuru trailed off, resulting in an awkward silence.

"I think I know what you're saying; Alyssa-chan must have had someone else as her most important person," Mai said.

"Exactly," Shizuru said. "Unfortunately, it's most likely that no one but Alyssa-chan knows who that person is."

As Shizuru excused herself from her conversation with Mai to head to a student council meeting, she realized the two now had more questions than answers after their talk. But she now had a theory about the cause of another problem that had been weighing on her for a while…

* * *

"On to the next order of business," Shizuru said while meeting with the student council. "We're still trying to deal with the ongoing issue of Suou Marikos-san's repeated absences since the school festival and our inability to get in touch with her or anyone related to her."

"Not unlike Kuga Natsuki's," Haruka said.

"I beg to differ, Suzushiro-san," Shizuru said firmly; while she could not dispute Natsuki's habit of truancy, she found fault in Haruka's comparison. "Natsuki does have more than a few absences, but rarely in succession, and I can typically find her when I want to. Suou-san, on the other hand, had a perfect attendance record prior to her disappearance, but has not been seen at all since the school festival. Even more strangely, none of her teachers seem to remember her. Kikukawa-san, you were in her class; do you know anything?"

"No, I tried asking around, but no one seems to remember her," Yukino said.

"I also checked her student information," Reito said. "Mariko-san's parents are not listed, nor does she have someone from social services listed as a contact."

"I will try asking the director about that; we should avoid acting until we have more information," Shizuru said. _"Among other things"_ she thought. "Now, let's move on."

The Student Council discussed the impact the shooting was having on the student body. While Shizuru's speech had assuaged some of the fears, student morale and trust in the on- and off-campus law enforcement were low. The council also heard reports of bullying against the officer's daughter.

Shizuru's killing Hitomi might have put an end to the murders, but it also eliminated any chance of the public finding the truth. They had no idea of how the shooting in the restaurant connected to the ATM withdrawals, the suicides and several other instances of murder even the Hime were unaware of. The public did, however, see the breakdown of the officer as a failure for the department, and debated whether he was unstable to start with or became so during his career, as well as how many would go down his path.

* * *

"President Fujino, I've been thinking," Yukino said, having requested to speak with Shizuru in private after the meeting. "Shouldn't we let Haruka-chan and Kanzaki-senpai know about what is going on?"

"I'm not entirely opposed to the idea, Kikukawa-san, but do you think they could help?" Shizuru said. "Much of the community refuses to acknowledge the supernatural powers that Himes and Orphans have unless they see them for themselves, and you once witnessed a case of an armed and trained police officer being helpless against someone with special powers. I fear involving more people may lead to more innocent victims."

"That may be so," Yukino said. "But there will likely come a time when the problems we Hime face become those of Fuuka Academy, regardless of whether we want them or whether they're prepared for them. The Searrs takeover of the academy was one such example; a school of hundreds of students was taken hostage in order to find a handful of Hime. What happens when the next group comes and they are not interested in taking prisoners? And, what would you do if, for example, Kuga-san were a Hime and you were not?"

Shizuru paused as she considered Yukino's statement. What Yukino was talking about was not a mere hypothetical situation, but in the relatively recent past; there was a time when Shizuru had not awakened her Hime powers but Natsuki had. And Shizuru realized that while she had not wished to burden Natsuki, the time for unilateral action was over now that the stakes had been raised once again.

"Whatever I could, I suppose," Shizuru said, conceding the point behind Yukino's final question. "Before I found out I was a Hime, I shared information with Natsuki about the First District, the students and various incidents around the school. She kept things secret from me, possibly to protect me, but she appreciated the help nonetheless, and I was happy to do what I could."

"Exactly," Yukino said. "Please don't tell Haruka-chan I told you this; she sometimes admits that she could never match up to you, but still keeps on trying, hoping you will acknowledge her as a rival. She even says she's not particularly talented in any one area apart from sheer passion, determination and drive to be the best at what she does."

"If Suzushiro-san does not wish for you to say this, why would you tell me this, Kikukawa-san?" Shizuru said.

"Because I believe it would help you understand why she tries as hard as she does. Why I look up to her so much. Most importantly, how 'ordinary' people cope with being thrust into extraordinary circumstances beyond their capabilities. Haruka-chan may be a normal person, but seeing her try so hard with what she has inspires me, and with these powers, I feel I am able to rise to the occasion and help others. And her type of resolve and inner strength may be what we need if we face people more powerful than us."

Shizuru nodded in agreement withYukino's point.

"This situation is not likely to be an easy one to resolve even with our powers," she said. "We should confer with our fellow Himes, then approach Suzushiro-san and the others with what we know."

* * *

After a brief meeting with the others to discuss their plan, Shizuru and Yukino convened a special session of the student council. Through an agreement, they decided to emphasize that each was ignorant of the other's powers until recently and that they had kept things secret in order to avoid drawing the attention of interested parties, such as the Searrs Foundation.

"So, Shizuru-san, Yukino-san, you're Himes too?" Reito said. "Like Mai-san and the others?"

"You already knew about this, Reito-san?" Shizuru said.

"Tate-kun and I saw Mai-san in an engagement with an Orphan once, but I didn't know how many others there were."

"So did I," Yuuichi said. "Apart from these two, I think it also includes Tokiha Mai, Kuga Natsuki, Minagi Mikoto…"

"…Yuuki Nao-san, Sugiura Midori-sensei, and Sister Sanada Yukariko," Shizuru said, continuing.

"So all of you knew this all along and kept me in the dark on a matter that affects the safety of students at our school?" Haruka said, pounding her fist on the desk.

"Please don't blame Kikukawa-san," Shizuru said. "She only learned of my powers a few days ago, and was the one who convinced us to tell you. Neither of us knew about Reito-san or Tate-kun being aware of the Himes until just now."

'We're going to need help to get through the times ahead, Haruka-chan," Yukino said. "Perhaps you can, with the help of the students patrolling campus, keep the non-combatants of the school safe and prevent outsiders from learning about the battles while we, the Himes, defeat the enemy."

"Let me put it this way," Shizuru said. "It's a form of assistance only you can provide, Suzushiro-san, which is why we brought you on board. So… please lend us your assistance."

Haruka paused to consider what Shizuru was saying and the way she phrased her request; Shizuru was always a polite individual, but it had an element of humility in her request Haruka had not seen before. A triumphant smirk crossed Haruka's face; this was her chance to shine, and even if Shizuru had special powers, Haruka would not let herself be outdone or let down Fuuka Academy.

"You got that right, President Fujino! I'm not losing to you here!"

Shizuru gave Haruka a gracious smile with hints of satisfaction in it. She, as always, knew precisely how Haruka would react to a chance to show her up.

The council then discussed strategies to cordon off areas of conflict, as opposed to sending Haruka's patrols on snipe hunts to prevent them from running into Orphans or Himes. They also discussed evacuation procedures, and set up safe areas for students, while setting plans to keep people from learning what was going on.

Through it all, however, Shizuru and Yukino wondered what kind of enemy they were up against. Hitomi appeared ignorant of the Carnival and only sought to cause suffering and death for her own pleasure. But she was not the only one of her kind, and if another one like her attacked, her move would likely be more subtle, more thoroughly planned, and with more at risk than the last.

* * *

**Author's Notes**

As always, thank you for the feedback. The Author's Notes can be useful tools, similar to a DVD commentary track, and I'm still getting used to using them.

From here on out, you may notice the Himes sometimes behaving in a more rational manner than in canon. This is in part due to them feeling less pressured, and in them having more trust in each other at this point. In general, the majority of the Himes are good people at heart who, when facing desperation or under manipulation of someone else, can be driven to do deeds they would otherwise consider immoral or irrational, but once they reflect on those deeds, are capable of understanding what they did was wrong and feeling great remorse.

Haruka's secret less confident side is hinted at in Episode 22; while confronting Shizuru, Yukino tells her somewhat more harshly that Haruka knows she can't match up against Shizuru, but wants to be acknowledged at the very least. Haruka's immediate reaction to it being brought up is shock and embarrassment, which could indicate that she's not as confident as she lets on.

It's implied in the fifteenth special that Alyssa's most important person is her father, who dies when Mai destroys Artemis. ("If my father loves me, I can do anything. That's why, Miyu, my irreplaceable companion, I can't label you my most precious or any other word. You are my other half.")


	6. The Enemy Revealed

**Chapter 6: The Enemy Revealed**

Nao slowly pushed the door to the school roof open, minutes before the clock struck 9 p.m. She disliked being interrupted in her nightly pervert hunts, especially when Midori said it was because an anonymous caller was specifically looking for her. But she also realized the gravity of the situation, and that cooperating with the others for the moment might lead her to the truth- particularly why Midori had said she specifically wanted Nao, or why she had suggested that this was related to their previous battle.

"You're finally here, Nao-chan" Midori said with a note of concern in her voice, as Nao looked over to see Mai, Natsuki, Mikoto, Yukino, Yukariko and Shizuru with her on the roof. "There should still be time to bring everyone up to speed."

"Yeah, what the hell is going on?" Nao said impatiently. "And why does it concern me, specifically?"

"Actually, to be precise, it's you, Mai-chan and Natsuki-chan," Midori said. "It started when I got a call earlier tonight…"

* * *

An hour before Nao reached the roof, Midori had gotten a call, and noticed the caller ID said "Caller Blocked".

"Hi, Midori speaking," she said.

"Sugiura Midori, correct?" the caller said.

"Yes, that's me."

"I would like to send my congratulations to Fujino Shizuru for defeating Kirihara Hitomi and her Child Axon in the parking lot the other day. However, the threat you face has not ended yet. In two hours, send Tokiha Mai, Kuga Natsuki and Yuuki Nao to the location on my map I am e-mailing to you in exactly two hours and you will receive an idea of what enemy you face. No one else must go near the meeting spot."

* * *

"…and so after I hung up, I called you three," Midori said. "As suspicious as this all sounds, this could be an opportunity to learn more about our enemy."

"How strange," Shizuru said. "Apart from Tokiha-san, Kikukawa-san who was watching from a distance, the possessed Natsuki and I, no one else heard Kirihara-san's Child's name; I forgot to mention its name while we were discussing the battle."

"But what do Mai, Natsuki and Nao have in common?" Mikoto said. "All I can think of is they're Himes and students at Fuuka Academy"

The three looked to each other and shrugged. As Natsuki and Mai had only recently become friends, and Nao was on less than good terms with the two of them, they knew next to nothing of each other's pasts. After a moment of thought, however, Mai began to recall what Natsuki had told her that night at the cliffs by the coast, that her mother was dead and her father was gone from her life.

"_If that's one thing Natsuki and I have in common, then what about Nao-chan?"_ Mai thought.

"Still, whatever the reason, it seems dangerous to let the three of you go alone," Midori said. "It may be our only lead at the moment, but we don't know what agenda this person has. Yukino-chan, watch them from a distance. We'll hold back and run in if there's any trouble."

"Mai…" Mikoto said sadly.

"We'll be all right, Mikoto." Mai said.

"I'll let you know if Mai-chan and the others run into any trouble, Mikoto-chan," Yukino said, placing a comforting hand on Mikoto's shoulder.

* * *

Mai, Mikoto and Nao arrived at the location, a forest clearing some distance from the school. The trees were fairly thickly grown, making it difficult to see into the clearing from inside the forest.

The thee Himes were uneasy; Mai checked her watch to confirm the exact time, and was considering calling Midori when a cloaked figure walked up to her.

"Hello, Mai, Natsuki, Nao, I'm glad that you could make it," he said.

"Ok, they've met the caller," Midori said to the assembled Himes from where they were watching, hidden behind trees some distance from the meeting place, as she recognized the voice.

"Who are you?" Mai said.

"I called Midori two hours ago to set up the meeting. You may call me the Advisor, and I'm here to discuss the new threat of the SUEs."

"Yes, what exactly was … Kirihara Hitomi-san, was it? What was Kirihara-san? She seemed to wield the power of a Hime, but her Child's destruction caused her own demise."

"Hitomi is a SUE, a Superpowered Unbalancing Entity. She possesses an Element and a Child like you do, but her powers are notably different. They are intended to disrupt the natural order of the universe in some way, whether by affecting people's behavior, altering the environment, violating the laws of the universe, and otherwise giving the user unnatural advantages over even you. These powers symbolize the impact their kind has on their environment; imagine, for example, people from a hotter area attempting to heat up your environment to levels that would be intolerable to you because they can't survive in a relatively cool climate. Her ability, as you may have noticed, is to control the minds of her victims, enabling her to force them to do things they would never do if they were their normal selves."

"If they're so powerful, how did we defeat one already?" Natsuki said.

"The SUEs are powerful, but not as much as they could be," the Advisor said. "They would otherwise have certain… divine intervention that would make them be popular when they should not be, be succeed when their efforts should fail, and winning battles they should otherwise have lost. They also count on that intervention that helps them hindering you, making you weaker, less competent, and easier to defeat . These SUEs, in spite of their power, do not have this favor, but act as though they do. They are difficult, almost impossible to defeat if they are competent, but if they let their guard down, you will find them easy prey."

"What are they trying to accomplish?" Nao said.

"Individually, it depends on the SUE. Collectively, they are under the command of someone you can call the Usurper. The SUEs were sent into this world to see how they would fare against you, for the purpose of determining if on relatively 'fair' terms one could succeed against you, or accomplish certain tasks without your interference. That SUE is promised the ability to reshape the world as she sees fit should she succeed. And one is on her way at the moment… or rather, in the past"

"What?" Mai said.

"Her name is Asahina Toki, and she is a time traveler. I decided to tell you about what she was doing because you had defeated Hitomi and because, due to the… mechanics of time travel, you needed to be told about it to have a chance to stop her; those intending to change the past typically must deal with those intending to keep it as it is. It's only fair that you have an opportunity to stop her, but since the three of you are able to stop it on your own, it's only fair that you should do it without further assistance from me or your allies. She will open portals to events in your pasts, and will try to alter events in such a way that your history will turn out differently. You most likely have some idea about what events she will attempt; she is targeting the most significant ones in your lives. You must ensure that events go forward as you remember, of she will prevail. Good luck."

The Advisor then disappeared, and three portals arrived, each having its intended traveler's name on it. Mai's cell phone then rang.

"Hello, Mai speaking," Mai said.

"Mai-chan, it seems as though the Advisor, Toki-chan or someone else erected an invisible force field," Midori said. "We can't get to where you are; you're on your own here."

"I hope this means no one else is getting inside," Mai said.

"Besides, that is, the SUE responsible for this," Natsuki said.

"Oh, and girls?" Midori said, her voice assuming a more serious tone than any of them had ever heard. "I realize that you may face difficult decisions in there, but remember that if fiction Is any indication, the smallest change in the past can trigger a large one in the present, possibly causing a temporal paradox. "

"You mean that if we, for example, accidentally cause our own deaths in the past, it might lead us to cease to exist in the present?" Natsuki said.

"Perhaps," Midori said. "But you could also mess things up if, for example, you changed things in such a way that would make it impossible for you to stand here today; assume that all changes are unsafe ones. I don't know how, though; it's up to you to think about why you're here while you're in the past and ensure that things happen as you remember. As much as I'd like to help you, I can't get involved; I can only watch and trust you to do the right thing."

"I will," Mai said, and the others nodded to concur.

"I'm sorry I can't do more to help, and that we're sitting here and relying on you to make the difficult decisions yourselves," Midori said. "But I know you can do it, and if you can get that force field down, we'll come rushing through."

"I'll let you know what happens," Mai said, before hanging up.

The three Himes walked through their respective portals, not knowing where or when they would emerge, or what decisions they would face.

* * *

Toki stood outside the time portals, waiting patiently for the results of her scheme. She had laid the groundwork, and now all that remained was to watch as the past changed.

"_They know about you and what you plan to do," T_he Usurper said.

"_I've got a plan in place," _Toki responded. _"If all goes well, they'll take care of the problem on their own. If not, I'll be able to take care of them myself."_

"_You have added the 'contingency plan' we discussed earlier, yes?"  
_

"_I have, although I don't quite understand how it will work."_

The Usurper noticed with pleasure that she was not rebuffing his advice as Hitomi had. Perhaps in this situation, she might have more success.

"_Consider it a backup plan to cut down the opposition."_ the Usurper said. _"'She_'_ will likely prove to be one of your more troublesome adversaries, and if you get her out of the way, you will find that things will go more smoothly."_

Toki's memories then wandered to her time growing up in the distant future, an alternate one rendered impossible to come into being by the presence of certain Himes at Fuuka Academy. Now, in the past, she had to ensure that the future came to pass by ensuring that those Himes never reached Fuuka Academy.

"_But I do have to ask,"_the Usurper said. _"Just who is this Hayate person to you and why would you go this far to ensure that you ended up together?"_

Toki glared in response to the voice daring to question her feelings for Hayate, but realized, as always that she could not adequately describe the reasons behind her attraction.

"_As if you would understand," _she said dismissively.

Whatever the reason behind it, Toki was determined to go through with her course of action. Even if it meant changing the lives of the Himes, even if it meant ending their lives, even if it meant unraveling time itself, she would find a way to be with her one true love, Hayate.

* * *

**Author's Note**

Incidentally, in works involving time travel, one has to wonder how soon changes would take effect in the present after they would be made in the past; for example, how much time would Kyle Reese have to go back in time before the Terminator kills Sarah Connor? And would he enter the past in time to stop it? As such, the Himes, for the sake of fairness in the story, need to be alerted to the attempt to change their past, as well as receive information on their enemy.


	7. What's Past Is Prologue

**Chapter 7: What's Past is Prologue**

Mai found herself in the past, near the shore of a river. She wished she could have had a wig, sunglasses or some hair dye, realizing that she did not remember seeing herself, and knowing that her parents and brother would likely be able to recognize an older version of their daughter or sister. Talking to anyone would put her at risk of blowing her cover, and so the best course of action would be to wait, to observe, and to see that everything went as she remembered.

She glanced over and saw her younger self running over to her friend. A momentary feeling of relief settled over her; all was as it should be over there. But then she began to feel shame as she was reminded of what she had once done; her younger self was cheerfully embarking on a path that would result in the loss of her mother's life and the worsening of Takumi's health

She then turned over and saw her occupied parents, with Takumi heading toward the water, keeping a keen eye out for anyone who would alert them. It then occurred to her that while it did not diminish her responsibility, Takumi's condition was the result of not one but several things going wrong. Not only had she diverted her attention, but so had her parents, and her brother had made the choice of entering the water. None of them knew just what would come from their actions, but all of them played a role in the resolution.

"_It's almost as if it was meant to be," _Mai thought sadly, but then a realization came to her. _"But is Midori-chan really right about this?"_ Mai wondered. She had a chance to undo her mistake, improve her brother's quality of life, and possibly even save her mother.

But then it occurred to her how much the incident would have affected her. In order to make up for a moment of weakness that had consequences that played out over years, she had resolved to become more responsible. Without her parents around, she had to provide for herself without them to do things for her or goad her into doing things on her own, but she also had to be there for Takumi when they could not.

Fuuka Academy, while not an educational institution on her family's radar of possible choices, had become much more attractive once she heard that she had a scholarship and a need to find the best choice for her money now that all available funds were going to fund Takumi's health care.

And there were the factors that she could not have foreseen back then even if she had all the responsibility she possessed as a 15-year-old caretaker of her sickly younger brother. She met many people and participated in the battles of the Himes, protecting her brother and the many non-combatants. How many would have died had she not fought? How many would have lived? How many people's lives had she impacted, by fighting or just being there? She had befriended Mikoto, helped Natsuki continue to open up to others, and formed a growing bond between her and Yuuichi, and as such, wondered where they would be if she had not come to the school.

As the crucial decision approached, she understood what she was allowing to happen. Several lives would be changed that day, and hardship would follow for her and those closest to her. But choosing to change the past would be a refusal to accept her mistakes, and risking many to help the few.

Mai noticed a man running over to where her younger self was playing with her friend. She didn't remember him being there, but this was the first time she had the perspective of an outsider, instead of playing the part of a tragic heroine.

"Pardon me, young lady," he said, unaware of her identity. "Is that boy over there in trouble?" He pointed toward Takumi, who had already entered the water.

"I'll go get his parents. Stay right there!" Mai said, and darted off. Suddenly, the man leaped after her.

"They're in the other direction," he said. "Don't you want to save your little brother before you make a big mistake?"

Mai should have been recognizable to her parents and Takumi, but she wondered; how did this man know her connection to Takumi? Several possibilities flashed through her head, and the most disturbing one was at the forefront.

"Who… or what- are you?" Mai said. The boy's form warped and twisted into a black winged, serpent-like dragon and he charged Mai, only to smash against her shield. She then obliterated the creature with a burst of flame.

She looked back and Takumi was struggling to stay afloat. He was unlikely to notice her from his vantage point, and as his memory of the events was fuzzy, he would not likely remember her even if he had. Mai had succeeded, but it brought her little satisfaction.

"_I've made my decision… the only one that I could," _Mai thought. _"Mom… Dad… Takumi… please forgive me. I was selfish and irresponsible back then, and changing the past does not erase that mistake, only its consequences. If I tried to do that, I would only run from my mistake and threaten the stability of time itself. But because of that, now I can make sacrifices to protect others. I can't bring you back, Mom and Dad, but I can look after Takumi in your place. Rest well."_

* * *

Natsuki immediately recognized her surroundings; the winding cliff roads near Fuuka Academy. Unfortunately, while she knew _where_ she had ended up, she did not know _when_. There were no newspapers, televisions, computers or anything else with the date,and her only time source was a watch that was most likely off the time.

"_This is the time my mother died_," Natsuki thought. She immediately understood the implications of this; she would have to ensure that her mother died in order to make the present come to pass. Her blood froze as she realized the reason why; Natsuki's quest for vengeance had led her to Fuuka academy, awakened her as a Hime, and made her a target of Toki, who sought to change the past in order to eliminate her.

"_How ironic; in my quest to do justice to my mother's killers, I have no choice but to ensure that she dies," _Natsuki thought. _"And in order to bring down the First District, I had to enter into their game."_

Natsuki realized that there was more at stake here than her own personal revenge. She had often entered into battle after coming to Fuuka Academy, but realized how few of those times related to her mission. She had destroyed Orphans that had threatened the students, and fought alongside Mai, Mikoto and the others. If her mother's death had hardened her and made her bitter, perhaps fighting alongside others and sharing their company enabled her to open up again.

But her quest for revenge had driven all of those actions. And if not for it, where would she be? As Natsuki realized this, she became aware that Toki must have also been aware of this, hence her attempt to change history and remove Natsuki from Fuuka Academy.

_"So the fate of my mother is part of someone else's plan no matter what I do?" _Natsuki thought._"But with the timeline at stake, there's only one thing I can do, even if I don't want to do it."_

A black serpent dragon much like the one that had attacked Mai landed, and attempted to pose as a road worker, with an orange vest. Natsuki, having noticed the dragon before his transformation, approached him.

"Excuse me, miss, this road is off-limits," the worker said.

"Who sent you? Was it a certain Asahina Toki?" The man's eyes widened in surprise.

"How did you know?" he said, assuming his true form. Natsuki finished the black dragon off with a few shots to the face, seeing him dissolve to black blood. Natsuki checked around the bend, seeing an oncoming car full of black-suited men with sunglasses. She ducked into the a nook in the diffside, making herself invisible to the car. She then saw her mother's car plunge over the edge of the cliff, along with her mother, her past self and her beloved pet Duran.

Natsuki had made her decision, yet she felt it was not the one she wanted, but the only one she was allowed to choose.

"_I'm sorry, Mother."_ Natsuki thought. _"Even with these powers there are still some things I can't do."_

Natsuki always knew vengeance was only the next best thing to having her mother back. But only in this moment did she realize just how poor a substitute it was, as well as how fully her quest for revenge had taken control of her life. And she was left with many questions about her own purpose.

Would revenge bring her the peace that she sought? And how would she face life without her mother or her goal of of seeking revenge on the enemies who had caused her death?

* * *

Nao found herself in the city, near the apartments where she had once lived. A newspaper, still wrapped in the plastic delivery bag, confirmed Nao's suspicions about the date- the day her father was killed and her mother was left in a coma.

Nao retreated some distance, and noticed several suspicious men slipping into the darkened apartment. She made note of their appearances; perhaps someday, if they were once again let onto the street, she would have some way of tracking them down.

Suddenly a young woman came up from behind

"Excuse me, miss, do you know where I can find a phone? There seems to be a break-in in progress."

Nao looked at her cell phone and couldn't help but be amused at how fitting everything seemed. Her cell phone, the means by which she did what she could to exact revenge against people like the ones who had killed her father and stolen her mother from hers, was now her chance to change things forever.

But then Nao's paranoia crept to the forefront of her mind. She realized that people's motives and actions were entirely separate. Would this SUE help her out of the goodness of her heart? Would anyone? The adults who had cared for her had treated her essentially like a product on an assembly line; it was their job to do their part and make sure that she was handed off to the next person in good condition, but nothing more than that. At best, she was being used to further some unknown agenda. At worst, someone wanted her out of the picture, possibly even to cause a time paradox like the one described.

Considering the latter possibility, the worst possible outcome, caused Nao to realize that not only were any promised gains false, but she could potentially lose everything she had. Her mother lay in a coma, and while she was all but dead, there was a chance for her to come back. Nao herself was able to get an education, even if she often skipped class.

And Nao realized there was no going back for her to the time when she completely trusted others and assumed that the world was by nature a good place. The incident had left its mark on her, and as such, could not simply be undone, lest she become a completely different person, with a different worldview, who likely attended a different school.

"Miss?" the woman said.

The decision came in a moment, _"I'm going to regret this…"_ Nao thought. _"But even so, I don't really have any other choice."_

"Not a chance in hell, Asahina!" Nao said, and the woman transformed into her true form as a black dragon. Nao immediately looped her energy threads around the woman, slicing her into six pieces.

Nao heard the sounds of a struggle, and watched as the robbers made their escape. Despair crept into Nao's heart, and she glared in quiet defiance of what she could not change.

"_You may have been lucky today and will be again in court," _Nao thought. _"But you bastards had better pray that I never see you again."_

* * *

Back in the present, all the Himes sat nervously, waiting for news about their companions. They had no idea when or whether the three sent through the portal would return, and how they would know whether they succeeded or failed.

Yukino occupied herself with scanning the area around the force field.

"Oh no…" she said, breaking the silence. "There's a fourth time portal!"

"What!?" Midori said. "Whose is it?"

"It has Mai-chan's name on it," Yukino said. "But it's' surrounded by a force field and there's still the one inside the larger force field with the other two!"

Midori then realized that Mai was completely on her own, with no one to notice her in danger, much less come to her aid. This was perfect for anyone with a vendetta against her but disastrous for those trying to avert a temporal paradox.

"_Stay safe, Mai-chan!"_ Midori thought.

* * *

Mai stood face to face with the young girl in a white kimono and hood. She stood silently, giving no indication of her identity or motivations. Mai recognized this girl from before, but wondered if she was the SUE behind the time portals.

"Asahina-san? Is that you?" Mai asked.

The girl gave no response.

"I don't know if you're really Asahina-san, what you're trying to do here, or why you attacked me earlier," Mai said with more urgency, "but if the past is changed here, it could result in a paradox that unwinds reality itself! What could possibly be worth risking that?"

"Dealing with you," she said. Mai could not recognize the deep, almost monotonous voice, and was uncertain whether the speaker was female or even human.

"If you hate me, please don't involve the others who are here- they have nothing to do with it!" Mai said, at first plaintively, then firmly, recognizing that whatever might have happened between her and this girl, no one else deserved to be dragged into their conflict.

Mai listened in the background as the ambulance came and loaded Takumi and her mother onto it. The girl realized this as well, and concluded that if she was to act, she would have to do it soon.

"Die!" the girl yelled.

The girl drew a flute from her kimono and began to play, summoning a large crow with one leg. It fired a laser at Mai, the first of which she was able to dodge by flying a few feet above the ground with her Element. Quickly checking, she saw that the ambulance was pulling away, unable to notice the ongoing battle, as she shielded herself from a hail of bladed feathers.

"That's enough!" the Advisor's voice came out of nowhere, drawing Mai's attention along with that of the girl. "All three of you succeeded in preventing your pasts from being changed! Return to the present with these portals!" Mai quickly dismissed Kagutsuchi and flew into her own portal, which closed behind her as a laser exploded just past where the portal had been. The girl slinked into her own portal after dismissing her Child, and the portal closed behind her.

* * *

As Mai, Natsuki and Nao emerged from their portals, which closed behind them, they soon found themselves face to face with a girl who had short silver hair and was wearing a futuristic-looking one-piece outfit. Mai immediately noticed that Toki was significantly taller than the girl who had attacked her inside the portal, and seemed to be approximately her age, in contrast to her younger assailant.

"All three of them… failed?" Toki said.

"Looks that way," Natsuki said. "Mai, Nao, I suppose each of you took care of the shape sshifting black dragon things on your end."

"Yes," the two said together.

"Do you realize what you've done?" Toki said incredulously. "I was going to make the three of you happy, by undoing the events that scarred you and deprived you of your loved ones!"

"But if you'd done that, we would likely never have been here," Natsuki said. "And if we were never here, would you have come up with the idea to go back in time? Could you have enacted the plan if a ripple effect had substantially altered the present or caused a time paradox?"

"So you're going to oppose me no matter what?" Toki said. "Well, if you're so intent on defying me, I have no choice but to kill you all myself!"

Toki then took out her Element, a pouch full of grenades, and tossed one at the Himes. The grenade had an aura that could be any color of the rainbow, starting at violet and progressing toward red, at which point it detonated in an explosion that resembled a sphere of light. Mai activated her shield, blocking the explosion, as the three shielded their eyes.

All three Himes and the SUE called out to their Childs.

"Kagutsuchi!" Mai shouted

"Duran!" Natsuki shouted.

"Julia!" Nao shouted.

"Cronos!" Toki shouted.

As the large flaming dragon, gray robotic wolf and green spider arose, they came face to face with their enemy, a large tan-skinned man with a scythe in his hands and a large ring floating around his waist. Before Mai could even see it, the giant had punched Kagutsuchi away, and kicked Duran and Julia, despite neither being particularly close to each other. Soon, a grenade perilously close to detonation came down, and Mai barely blocked it with her shield, getting thrown backward in the process.

Meanwhile, Nao and Natsuki futilely tried to shoot Toki and Cronos as they sped around. Their attention was diverted when Chronos squeezed the blade of his scythe with his hand and unleashed several black dragons, which Natsuki shot out of the air with her Element. Despite Nao and Natsuki's antipathy toward one another, desperation had forced them to work alongside each other for the sake of their own survival. And yet somehow, they found the arrangement far less unpleasant than they had first thought, and their teamwork was better than most would think possible for them.

Toki then tossed out many grenades at once, rolling at the feet of the Himes. Mai gasped in horror; she had noticed that the grenades that took longer to go off had larger explosions, and while the countdown was relatively slow, she realized that it might not be possible for her to escape or shield herself and the others from the blasts. Nao realized that they had to go on the offensive if they hoped to survive.

"Julia!" she yelled, and the spider sprayed webs around the arena. They missed Toki, but wrapped around Cronos. While he appeared to be moving far more quickly than any of his foes, it was only because time had shifted for him, allowing him several seconds for each one that passed for his opponent instead of increasing his speed several fold. While wrapped in the web, he was as stuck as any other, and while the window was narrower than most, it was long enough for Natsuki to act.

"Duran! Load Chrome Cartridge! Fire!"

The cartridges rushed forward and encased Cronos' legs in a prison of ice crystals. The grenades nearby were almost ready to detonate, so Mai prepared to finish the battle.

"Kagutsuchi!" she yelled.

A ball of fire burst from Mai's Child's mouth, and tore through Chronos before exploding against the force field, raining flames on the grass. The Child's body was consumed by the flames and the resulting explosion just as the grenades prepared to flash. But instead of explosions, Mai, Natsuki and Nao were surrounded by green flames, as the grenades harmlessly disintegrated.

"Hayate…" Toki whispered as she sank to her knees in despair. She could not comprehend how she, having failed to make her alternate future into a reality, still existed in this one, but suspected her time would soon come to an end one way or another.

"_You have failed, Toki"_ the voice inside her head said. _"I will leave you to your fate."_

The force field vanished, and Midori and the rest of the Himes ran over, forming a circle around the defeated Toki.

"MAI!" Mikoto shouted, flinging herself into Mai's arms.

"I'm all right, Mikoto, it's over." Mai said, half-forcing a smile. She was glad to have defeated the SUE and survived. However, the trip into her past had forced her to rethink much of her life, much like Natsuki and Nao, and her encounter with the mysterious girl left her with unanswered questions.

"We've got some questions for you, Asahina," Natsuki said. "First, who sent you here?"

"I…I don't know." Toki said. "I've never met him in person, but I was told that if I defeated you all or changed the past, I'd be allowed to do whatever I wanted with this world, including making sure… I get together with Hayate, the one I love."

"Who's the girl with the crow and the flute?" Mai said. "I mistook her for you at first. Is she your accomplice?"

"No… I don't know her at all. Is she one of the others?"

"Another SUE?" Nao asked.

"Yes, that's what we're called, but I don't know about her," Toki said. "I was told if I didn't win, someone else would come by to dispose of m-Aaah!" Toki swiveled around from where she had been sitting and facing her former opponents. The Himes scattered as they noticed a blonde-haired girl running toward them with a long sword and a kite shield.

The new arrival, in mid-stride, drew her right arm backward and thrust the tip of the sword into Toki's face.

* * *

**Author's Note**:

Thank you, as always, for your feedback.

To Mr. 42: Your review touched on an interesting point in exploring the SUEs' impact on the story. Originally, the story was only going to be the prologue chapter, exploring the concept of how a Mary Sue being loved by everyone in canon can backfire. (In a similar sense, Takumi and Yuuichi have the misfortune of having very close ties to two Himes each, which leads to their deaths). Then, I realized, what might happen as the result of an additional Hime entering the Carnival, including the raising of an additional pillar (the final fight between Mai and Mikoto comes to pass because Alyssa the artificial Hime caused an extra pillar to rise), and decided to explore additional Mary Sue concepts. With this, I decided to give a SUE time travel(an ability a few Mary Sues possess) both to symbolize the disregard some have for the experience that shapes characters before and during the story, and give the three Himes most influenced by past events a chance to look at themselves and see how their experiences shaped them.

As for my updates; my typical plan is to write up a first draft of the story before even posting the first chapter, then fine tune each chapter, clarifying certain things, partly based on feedback and partly based on the editing process (while in college, I was told that if I waited a while after writing a first draft of a paper, it could "marinate" and I could make better revisions later) but not changing the overall course of the story.

I suspect many of you already know the true identity of who the girl who attacked Mai. However, because the characters don't know this at this point, I have decided to conceal it for the moment.

"Duran" is the name of Natsuki's dog from the side story "Natsuki's Prelude," who died at the same time as her mother. Oddly enough, none of the other Himes have their Childs names correspond to their personal lives, although they're often symbolic of certain things about their characters.


	8. Hostile Intervention

**Chapter 8: Hostile Intervention  
**

The rest of the Himes stood in shock at what they had just witnessed. An ominous, oppressive feeling had crept in, as though the air had grown heavy. Suddenly, the blonde-haired SUE who had just arrived, wearing a white blouse, black skirt, pantyhose and dress shoes, sank to her knees in prayer, inserting her sword into the ground and putting aside her shield.

"Dear Lord, Your servant has slain this wicked heretic," the girl said. "Send her down to burn in the flames of hell for all eternity as a warning to all those who would stray from Your teachings!"

"Are you a SUE like Asahina-san?" Mai asked. "Perhaps the one she said would kill her for her failure?"

"I am completely unlike that evil heretic, whom I would have killed even- or especially- if she had succeeded in her Satanic mission!" the girl said. As she rose and took up the sword and shield that comprised her Element, the Himes noticed a red cross design on a white background on her shield. "I am Otonashi Shizune, and it is my mission to spread the word of Jesus Christ and kill all sinners, unbelievers and enemies of the Christian faith!"

"Wh-what are you saying, Otonashi-san?" Yukariko said, allowing a moment to regain her composure, and let her anger overcome her initial shock. "You're nothing more than a murderer who perverts Jesus Christ's teachings of compassion, tolerance and love!"

"Shut your mouth, you filthy, evil nun!" Shizune shouted indignantly. "Do you think I do not know the truth about you?"

Yukariko trembled as Shizune paused for a moment. Had Shizune somehow learned about her secret tryst with Ishigami? The deals she had made with him, deceiving and planning to betray her fellow Himes? And would she now reveal them in front of Yukariko's oblivious allies?

"Your precious Roman Catholic Church is nothing more than a tool to mislead Christians into worshipping the Goddess Ishtar! It will institute a One World Order and persecute the Bible-believing Christians in the end of days! The only way to stop this threat is to kill every last Catholic in the world and burn all their teachings, including their false translation of the Bible!"

The fact that Shizune was not aware of her secret did not ease Yukariko's fear or guilt, especially when she heard about the terrible fate planned for her fellow Catholics. Despite her fear, she prepared to summon her Element, realizing that talking would not accomplish anything productive.

"And all of the rest of you will die as well! With you out of the way, no one else will stand in the way as the Lord and I bring about Paradise on Earth and send all of Satan's followers and the phony Christians to Hell for eternity!"

The Himes took a few steps backwards, preparing for battle, while Mai summoned Kagutuschi

"Kagutuschi!" Mai yelled, as it aimed a blast of fire at Shizune. But something was amiss; the blast was far smaller and far less hot than she expected. It exploded on impact, but out of the blast, Shizune emerged, not even singed by the explosion.

"Julia!" Nao yelled, and the spider wrapped Shizune inwebs. The webs, however, were as fragile as wet tissue paper, and were torn apart when Shizune merely shifted her weight while taking a stride forward. Mikoto swung her sword at Shizune, but she was able to parry it with her sword alone, knocking Mikoto backwards.

"Your Satanic magic will not affect me, for I fight with God's power!" She swung her sword upward at Mai, who tried to fly backwards while blocking with her energy shield. Shizune's sword cut through Mai's shield and would have cleaved her in half if she had not moved.

"Argus!" Shizune yelled, and summoned a shapeless blob with a hundred eyes that fired lasers all around, forcing the Himes to dodge. Some of the lasers flew off into the sky, while others struck the trees or the grounds. A few stray ones struck Fuuka Academy, inflicting minor damage on the buildings but causing no injuries.

The Himes immediately understood that their powers had no use against Shizune. What was not yet clear was the reason, but they reasoned that it would be easier to analyze what they had seen at a later point than to risk and possibly sacrifice several of them in order for Shizune to show them how her powers worked.

"Kiyohime!" Shizuru yelled. Kiyohime's six heads spewed acidic mist that had the same acidity as lemon juice, but temporarily obscured Shizune's vision, creating an opportunity Yukariko seized upon.

"Vlas!" Yukariko yelled. Her Child created an illusion that snared Shizune, if only briefly. Shizune flailed around with her sword, imagining that she was dismembering the Himes as they lay paralyzed with fear.

"Everyone, retreat!" Midori yelled. Split up and meet back at the usual spot!" She hopped into Gakutenou, taking Mikoto with her, while the other Himes mounted their Childs

As the Himes scattered, retreating in different directions the mist cleared around Shizune and Argus, as did Yukariko's illusion. One of its eyes emerged and gazed at Yukino, whom Shizune saw as the only unknown quantity in this engagement, and caused Yukino's Child to vanish. Her mount having disappeared, Yukino began to fall to the earth

"Yukino-chan!" Mai yelled, then swooped down and seized her in midair with her Element's powers, despite noticing that flight was more difficult with Shizune's aura. "Are you all right?"

"Thank you, Mai-chan…" Yukino said. "But I… I don't feel the connection to my Hime powers any longer! Is... is Haruka-chan all right?"

Mai then noticed a strange black symbol in the shape of an eye on Yukino's chest, known as the Silencing Sigil.

"Let's get out of here!" Natsuki yelled, as Argus began firing lasers at the retreating Himes, lighting up the sky.

The Himes then scattered in separate directions, only looking back to confirm that Shizune was not pursuing them.

* * *

Elsewhere in the forest, the girl who had attacked Mai observed from a distance. It would be relatively easy to pick off her target in the confusion of the battle, especially with the new enemy at hand. But she felt unusually weak at the moment, and judging from her last engagement, knew that Mai was not to be trifled with, even when she was on the defensive. If she attacked and Mai counterattacked, she could be defeated, especially if the mysterious enemy arrived."

The girl took the opportunity to slip away, knowing that the time to settle her differences with Mai would come another day, but hoping this new adversary would not cheat her out of the opportunity.

* * *

Nagi looked out at the destruction from a perch high on the school. There were now three fake Himes that he was aware of- Alyssa, Hitomi and now Shizune. He sighed with frustration. Originally, he and the Obsidian Lord were masters of this game, but now there was a third party, inserting new players and even subverting the rules

This third party's interference had previously been inconsequential. But now this individual had fielded a SUE capable of rendering the Himes' powers useless. While the defeats or even deaths of the Himes served Nagi's plan, he had to wonder whether this individual had any other resources that would threaten the Obsidian Lord's plan for the Hime Carnival.

But it also lay in the Himes' interest to find a way to deal with the new SUE. If they could do that, then all Nagi had to do was watch and allow their own actions to usher in the return of the Obsidian Lord to the world.

* * *

Shizune, left alone in the forest after the rest of the Himes had departed, having abandoned her pursuit some distance from the site of the original battle, knelt down in prayer.

"_Lord, the evil sinners have escaped_," she said.

"_Let them go for the moment," _The Usurper said. Shizune, unaware of the voice's true identity, assumed it to be the voice of her God. The Usurper was quite willing to encourage her to think this, as it would be a convenient way to make her follow orders. _"It is more prudent to engage them where there are fewer watchful eyes; the Himes and the First District have taken pains to ensure that their activities go unnoticed. Should the evil world government come after you, it will become quite difficult; despite the power I have given you, you are not yet ready to take them on."_

"_As You command, Lord,"_Shizune said. _"Still, it is difficult to simply watch a world that disrespects You and only plays at following Your commands, while the police and governments persecute Bible-believing Christians."_

"_Patience, Shizune, they will be dealt with in due time," _The Usurper said. _"Everything is part of My plan."_

For the Himes, gone were the days of fighting the visible and clear-cut threat of the Orphans and the Searrs Foundation. Their enemies now lurked out of sight, with multiple factions and agendas. Multiple sides now faced each other in battle, and only one would prevail.

* * *

**Author's Note**:Thank you for the reviews and feedback.

Shikome: Showing emotion can be a bit of a balancing act, as it can be all too easy to come off as over-dramatic, and I chose to make their inner conflict more subtle. I had the Himes feel the way they did for a few reasons. They had to make the decision quickly, and afterward, had very little time to reflect on it while faced with consecutive battles. Additionally, part of the reason they chose to keep the past the way it was is the fact that for them, it has already happened, and this is mainly coming to terms with it, accepting the event and understanding why it impacted them that way; Nao in particular recognizes that she can never regain her innocence. However, this event has forced them to question themselves, and the route they are taking in life. Some future chapters will return to their issues.

Shizune is meant to represent a zealous follower of an ideology who goes to great lengths against her perceived enemies. I chose her affiliation for the following reasons.

1)She should be, by default, at odds with virtually all the Himes.

2) At least one other Hime (in this case, Yukariko) should share her ideology, but strongly denounce how far she is going because she does not go nearly as far as Shizune does.

3) There should be a disagreement apart from her methods that causes Shizune to see someone who would otherwise be a compatriot as an enemy. This and point 2 would emphasize that she does not represent all members of her ideology, and considers people who disagree with her on minor matters heretics.

As such, I made Shizune a Christian of an undetermined non-Catholic denomination. Point 1 is fulfilled in that most of the Himes do not appear to be religious at all, although they do not seem to be avowed atheists, in that they never openly deny religious belief. Point 2 and 3 come into play in that Yukariko objects to killing in Jesus' name, but Shizune believes Yukariko's point is invalid and she is a false Christian deserving of death merely because she is Catholic. Virtually everyone in the world falls short of Shizune's standards, and those few who do not (whom she feels motivated to protect) would most likely oppose her due to disapproving of her genocidal crusade and her rationalization that it is to protect the "true" Christians.

Her powers were partly inspired by the Huckebein of Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Force, as well as the fact that when Mary Sues come into play, you can often notice canon characters' powers getting quite a bit weaker than they would otherwise. Another of my points is that Mary Sues often succeed by virtue of the main characters being significantly less competent than in canon, rather than solely because they are so much more powerful.


	9. Seeking Answers

**Chapter 9: Seeking Answers**

Back at the academy, much of the campus had been woken up by the laser barrage, despite dawn being a few hours away.

Haruka and Reito were standing in outside the dormitories in front of a large group of students, who were demanding to know what was going on. Shizuru, arriving on the scene, came forward and gave a short speech to the crowd, attempting to assure them someone was holding a light show without permission. Within a few minutes, the crowd dispersed, more over the fact that the barrage had stopped and the fact that they were unlikely to learn anything more than their being convinced by Shizuru's response. Several different theories circulated, a few of which accused the student council or executive committee of a cover-up.

Yukino approached Haruka after the speech and tearfully embraced her,

"Haruka-chan... you're all right!" she said.

"_I'm_all right?" Haruka said, confused. "Yukino, you were the one at the center of that barrage of lasers."

"I was able to escape with the help of the others," Yukino said. "But I lost my connection with my Hime powers and was worried about whether you were..." She trailed off, pointing at a strange mark on her uniform's blazer, a symbol with concentric circles resembling an eye known as the Silencing Sigil. She then unbuttoned and opened the blazer, only to see the symbol transferred to her blouse. "I wonder if receiving this is different from losing my Child."

"Maybe this thing that happened to you is different, or maybe I, just can't be killed that easily," Haruka said. "But what are you trying to show me?"

Yukino sighed. "Maybe it's like the star near the moon; it's something only Himes can see. But it's blocking my powers somehow."

"Maybe I can't see that star," Haruka said. "But I watched the news tonight, and heard about some weird natural disasters and heightened international tensions lately. Whatever you're involved in might just drag us into it before long."

* * *

On the rooftop, the Himes met again.

"So… where to begin?" Midori said.

"How about with everything the Advisor told us about this conflict, and how there's an entirely new group of people like us entering it?" Mai said.

"Yeah," Midori said. "It might be beneficial to ask some of them more about why they're coming after us, but if Toki-chan is any indication, they may be working separately from one another, having different agendas and being willing to kill each other. And yet the Advisor said there was a mastermind behind them all."

"I still don't trust that guy," Nao said. "We don't know who he is, or why he's helping us- he could be a SUE for all we know, or even the same person as the Usurper!"

"And yet, so far, nothing he has said has been proven false," Mai said.

"Perhaps he's not telling us the whole truth," Natsuki said. "It does make me wonder why he helped us against Asahina, but left us on our own against Otonashi. Maybe the former isn't in league with him and the latter is."

"We can't say for certain," Midori said. "But this brings us to our next issue; how do we defeat Shizune-chan if our powers aren't enough to do the job?"

"It seems all our powers became weaker," Mai said. "That blast from Kagutsuchi should have burned a path through the forest, but when I used it against her, it wasn't even strong enough to light a campfire."

"I had originally concluded that she might be resistant to our powers," Shizuru began, "But in retrospect, our abilities, as Tokiha-san said, had far less of an effect on the surrounding area than they would otherwise."

"And I can't use my powers at all," Yukino said. "I don't know how long this will last or why she didn't put this on all of us, but we have to prepare for the possibility of some of us losing our powers temporarily if not permanently."

"Perhaps all of us are overly reliant on our Hime powers," Natsuki said. "Take them away and what do you get? A group of students, a teacher and a nun who don't have any training or weapons."

Suddenly, Natsuki, after laying out what the group lacked, came to a realization.

"I have an idea, but it will take a while to set up, likely tomorrow night."

* * *

Back at the dormitories, Natsuki and Mai spoke about Mai's attacker. The group agreed to stay on campus as much as they could, as they reasoned that Shizune would not risk attacking them in front of witnesses.

"So you encountered this girl with the crow before?"

"Yes; I was attacked by her, but Mikoto saved me and forced her to flee. I don't know who it could possibly be, though."

Natsuki shrugged.

"There are probably people out there who hate me, though," Mai said. "I killed someone close to Alyssa-chan; maybe she or someone close to her is out for revenge."

"Or maybe it's not something _you_ did, Mai," Natsuki said.

"What do you mean?" Mai asked.

"For example, if Takumi did something to upset someone else, that person would likely attack you for the sole purpose of causing him pain."

"But why attack me, a Hime with special powers, when they could go after a sickly boy with a heart condition? It makes no sense."

"Such people's motives rarely do," Natsuki said. "You might be willing to suffer your victim's wrath, but you wouldn't be willing to let someone else suffer, especially if that person's close to you."

Natsuki remembered after she spoke that she was also a person who sought vengeance. But in her case, her target and the perpetrator were the same, and by defeating them, she could spare others her tragedy- _"Or at least that's what I'm telling myself,"_ she thought.

"Maybe," Mai said. "But if that's how people with vendettas think, then logical thinking will be of little use."

* * *

Class began the next day with a markedly lower number of students in attendance. Almost everyone was talking about the visible lasers the night before, some accounts inconsistent with each other and what the students should have seen from campus.

After the first class of the day, Yuuichi approached Mai at her desk.

"Tokiha, the student council's given me another er- assignment," Yuuichi said. "Do you know anything about Suou Mariko?"

"As far as I've known, she's never been in class." Mai then contemplated Yuuichi's status as the Student Council's 'slave,' and inwardly wondered if he had been sent on a snipe hunt as a prank. "Why?"

"The teachers' records supposedly have her showing up until the student festival, but the teachers don't remember her, either. The president asked the director, but she doesn't know anything, either" He leaned in close to whisper. "And I think this has something to do with the Himes."

"Um…" Akane said from behind Mai and Yuuichi, causing them to turn to face her. "I couldn't help but overhear you, but I might know something about Suou-san. I wasn't sure I should say anything until now, but now that she's considered a missing student…"

"What do you know, Akane-chan?" Mai asked.

"I don't have any memories of her, but I often wrote about her in my diary. I dismissed it as something I made up, until hearing that other people were looking for her."

"Could you possibly show it to us?" Mai said.

"Yes," Akane said. "I'll have to retrieve it from my room when I have a moment."

* * *

Math class became an impromptu study hall. Several more students had decided to skip class, reasoning that with so many gone, the teachers were unlikely to teach anything. This became a self-fulfilling prophecy, as the teachers believed that if a few students were gone, they could make up the material on their own, but with the majority gone, it would be unwise to teach anything so important that students would be left behind if they missed it.

At lunch, Akane, with Kazuya in tow, brought her diary over as Yuuichi and Mai sat together.

"Did you fInd it?" Mai said.

"Yes," Akane said, showing Mai the first entry about Mariko, a flowery entry describing all of Mariko's incredible talents and traits, far more than she would do for even Kazuya. The term "genius" was thrown around freely, Akane described Mariko's "beautiful sapphire hair" with awe, and considered her "the most wonderful person" she had ever met. On a closer examination, however, Mai noticed that of all the diary entries involving Mariko, Akane had only spoken with her twice; once while introducing herself and again while asking for her notes.

"You must have really adored her," Mai said. "But I thought Kazuya-kun was the one you were in love with."

"Exactly," Akane said, blushing slightly. "We started going out after the festival, which is when I asked him out."

"Did anything else happen during the school festival?" Mai said.

Akane then told Mai of what had happened, from her status as a Hime to the battle with the Orphan to Miyu's betrayal to the destruction of her Child.

"I see…" Mai said. "It would make sense that if your most important person was Suou-san, she would die and Kazuya-kun would live. "

Yuuichi had remained silent all this time. Mai had initially seemed hostile, but even though that hostility had faded, she seemed to be placing distance between herself and him. Now he had a possible reason why; if she cared for him, separation from him while he remained alive would be preferable to him dying if she lost her Child. But how long had she known this?

"But I still don't understand how I could forget her," Akane said. "We might only have talked twice, but if she left such an impression on me or I saw her around campus, I wouldn't forget her like that. I still remember when Kuga-san helped me get my notes last year."

"I have a theory," Mai said. "I know that she is a SUE, a separate kind of Hime that has special powers to manipulate other people and the environment. It's possible that because of them, you were essentially brainwashed into considering her your most important person, or somehow your memories were wiped after her death. In any event, she, by some sort of trick, became your most important person by the time your Child was destroyed."

"So that's how it is…" Akane said, looking on the verge of tears. "And Kazu-kun's alive because she died in his place…"

"I'm sorry, Akane-chan…" Kazuya said, at a loss for words.

"It's a scary thing, isn't it, Kazu-kun?" Akane asked. "To just vanish one day and have no one miss you or remember you after you're gone. If Tate-kun is correct, the Student Council only noticed Suou-san was missing when she started going absent from class. Even Miyu-san and Alyssa-chan, who vanished after the Searrs attack, have people asking about them. The school doesn't even remember who Suou-san was or see her as anything other than a constant absentee."

"She also remains in your diary, Akane-chan, as well as the attendance records," Kazuya said. "I agree that it is tragic that so many have forgotten Suou-san, take heart; you won't be forgotten so easily."

"How?" Akane said.

"People's memories can fade, but you live on in the hearts of those closest to you and the impact you have on people's lives.," Kazuya said. "As long as you have people who care about you, you will never be forgotten, and because you don't have Suou-san's powers, if someone cares about you, it's because you, by being who you are, made that person fall in love with you. The impressions you've made on people will not be so easily wiped away- least of the place I have for you in my heart- because they are deeper than any that are induced by some simple spell."

"Thank you, Kazu-kun…" Akane said, leaning in close to him.

* * *

"Does this memory wiping thing happen with all the people erased by Himes being defeated, or just Suou?" Yuuichi said to Mai after lunch.

"As far as we know, Suou-san was a special case; I remember the two others that we defeated," Mai said. "Perhaps it's the other way around; people only noticed her because of her powers, and when those vanished, so did everyone's memories of her. It might help if we knew who Suou-san considered her most important person."

"But I don't suppose that person had any choice in the matter of whether Suou's most cherished person," Yuuichi said, "even if they didn't know that they'd die when she lost."

"Listen, Tate, I don't want you, Takumi, or anyone else close to me to bear the cost of my being defeated as a Hime," Mai said. "Right now, there's an extremely dangerous SUE out there with powers that weaken the ones we wield, and there's a chance that I'll lose to her. I should be the only one to suffer if I'm not strong enough to win."

"But didn't you say this person's trying to kill you all?" Yuuichi said. "Isn't the whole point of you fighting her that if you lose or don't fight her, people will get hurt or die anyway just because she doesn't like them for one reason or another?"

"I suppose so," Mai said. "But they should, in theory, only be after the Himes. This isn't your fight any more than it was that of the people whom Kirihara-san manipulated and murdered."

"The solution is simple," Yuuichi said. "Don't give up, win at whatever cost and survive until this Carnival or whatever you call it ends. It's difficult, certainly, but it's not impossible… unlike suppressing your feelings. I told you my feelings because I couldn't deny them any longer, and I didn't think I should deny them. I don't think you can do so any more than I can. And if you died, I, Takumi and everyone close to you would be sad for that reason alone, even if none of us died with you. So rather than worry about who's getting caught up in this struggle, just win for your sake, for my sake, for all our sakes."

Mai couldn't help but smile at what Yuuichi said. Perhaps there was a way to win without sacrificing her feelings for her most precious people, to survive. And there was a SUE out there who, if left unchecked, was a potential threat to everything she knew.

"Thank you... Yuuichi. I'll end our battle with this SUE tonight."

"Good luck, Mai," he said.

* * *

Midori sat in her office, looking over the texts related to the past battles of the Himes. Mashiro and Fumi had claimed that they were ignorant of what the SUEs were, and none of her investigations into the Carnival 300 years ago yielded any information about anyone besides the 12 Himes of the past being involved. But she noticed something else; as each of the defeated Himes lost their Childs, a pillar arose, and once 11 had fallen, the "winner," if she could be called one, was selected as the Obsidian Lord's bride. But the Usurper's name was never mentioned, nor was there much to indicate what his possible involvement might be.

A brief feeling of despair came over Midori, but gave way to even greater hope. The Carnival was not going according to plan, meaning that records of the past were less useful. But because there were unknown factors, perhaps this time it would be easier to make a new future for everyone involved.

* * *

Yukino sat in the Student Council office typing in reports as Haruka harangued several male high school students caught skipping class. Yukino knew this was unlikely to do much good given the deteriorating state of the school and several disturbing news reports, indicating bizarre natural disasters around the world. Haruka, while not contesting the state of affairs, insisted that the rules had to be enforced regardless of whether they could catch all the rule breakers, saying that hard times were meant to test people's principles and character.

"What do you think you're going to do to us?" one of them said after Haruka had reminded them of the basic necessity of attending class.

"Give us detention?" another said. "If you caught everyone cutting class, you'd have to find some place to send them… I dunno, the local jail?"

"Sounds like something Suzushiro'd do," a third said.

"You WILL address me with proper respect!" Haruka said. "And regardless of how many people are breaking the rules or whatever the justifications are, you will follow them!"

"Or else what?"

"Enough, all of you…!" Yukino said with remarkable fierceness. "Haruka-chan's doing what she can to keep the school running, and you don't appreciate it at all! This is a difficult time, and we must trust each other, and our leaders! Until further notice is given, you are to attend class as usual; our school persists even in times like these!" Yukino calmed down slightly "If you're concerned about safety, please come to us. We are monitoring the situation, and if it is deemed too dangerous for students to continue attending, we will close the school until the problems are solved."

The students fell silent, chastened, and Haruka remained silent in surprise at what she had heard. Yukino and even Haruka realized that this would not deter them completely, or solve the problems at the root of the student discontent.

"Are you all right, Yukino?" Haruka said, after the students were processed and sent away.

"Yes…" Yukino said. "It's just that with things the way they are, and with them disrespecting you in such a way, I felt I had to do something. It's the only thing I could do at the moment without my powers."

Perhaps Haruka was rubbing off on her. But in this moment, Yukino realized that there were times when she, with or without her powers, could simply stand up and do whatever she felt she needed to do without hesitating. Even with the Sigil on her, Yukino was gradually shedding her identity as the timid person she once was before learning she was a Hime.

"You know, Yukino…" Haruka said. "It's pretty much the same for me. Cracking down on the student body seems to be the only way I can remind students that the rules are the rules, and they are and always will be consistent. But I've realized this situation goes beyond the mud…mud taint…"

"Mundane."

"Mundane, and I think the students are realizing this, too. At times I wonder how long I can keep this together."

"You shouldn't think you're in this alone, Haruka-chan," Yukino said. "President Fujino, Kanzaki-senpai, Tate-kun, your subordinates and most of all, I all are in this, too. And there's also the ones fighting against the SUEs; once they're defeated, things should go back to normal… no, I know they will."

Haruka smiled with surprise at Yukino's newfound determination.

"You've changed quite a bit since I found out you were a Hime, Yukino," Haruka said, impressed.

"I had to," Yukino said. "If my timidity and indecision cause trouble only for myself, it's one thing, but it's selfish and irresponsible of me to freeze up when there are other people's lives on the line. For their sake, I'm not giving up, even if persisting is the only thing I can do at the moment."

* * *

In town, Shizune walked, looking at all the sinners. She knew destroying all of the parts of the world that could not be saved was a difficult job for one girl, even with her powers and her belief that God on her side, but she had to persist. The end times were coming; newspapers reported natural disasters and the rise of tensions.

She then came across two students from Mai's class, Yoshida Kyoko and Miura Reiko, standing outside a local coffee shop. Unbeknownst to her, Kyoko had tried at one time long ago to get her friend Reiko to convert, but had failed due to Reiko's skepticism and lack of interest. Shizune originally saw nothing out of the ordinary, until she overheard a snippet of their conversation.

"Kyoko, I've been thinking about what you said around the time we first met," Reiko said. "I could die any day now and the signs point to the end! I want some way to make sense of it all! Yes, I accept Jesus into my life!"

"Then let's pray," Kyoko said. The two fell to their knees and began to pray.

Shizune smiled. Perhaps more people than she thought could be saved if people's minds could be changed. It would take a while to see what kind of Christian Reiko would turn out to be, but she was glad that Kyoko had witnessed to her, signifying that she was not afraid to be open about her beliefs and confident enough to profess them to others. Shizune appreciated sincere belief in Christianity, and believed that once she was able to change the world, no one with her views would have to keep their beliefs secret or fear persecution like they had in the past.

Then, as Shizune walked by one "macho" looking young man began bragging to another.

"She took the old 'end of the world' line and we had sex!" the first said. "I suppose the only thing worse to women than seeing the end of the world is dying as a virgin!"

"Hell yeah, man! Way to go!" the second said.

Shizune sighed. Perhaps she would end up killing most of these people after all.

* * *

Later that evening, in the city, as the sun was setting, Shizune once again heard the voice inside her mind.

"_Shizune…"_

"_Yes, Lord?"_ Shizune said.

"_The heretics will attack tonight. Kill all of the Satanic priestesses known as the Himes and the final obstacle to our kingdom will be removed."_

"_As you command, Lord."_

Shizune was not one to question a sign from her God, especially not when it aligned with what she intended to do anyway, and the Usurper was grateful that she had been created with that mindset. The time to purge the unbelievers from the world and claim it for those who felt as she did had come. Once the Himes were gone, no one would stand in her way.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Shizune's scene was intended to highlight a part of her character that almost certainly would not come up under normal circumstances; she is a relatively kind individual to those who share her beliefs, and acts the way she does partly out of a belief that people like her are persecuted and must be protected. Unfortunately, hardly anyone shares Shizune's beliefs, so there are few Christians to whom she would extend this kindness, and far more people like Yukariko who would call her a hypocrite and false Christian. Furthermore, any of the Christians who fell short of Shizune's standards, such as doing something she considers sufficiently sinful, or attempting to stop her from killing her enemies, would be murdered along with the others.

But in conclusion, Shizune, unlike Hitomi, does have the capacity to care about others, albeit not in an unconditional way (i.e., they have to be the kind of Christians she approves of). And while she has killed one person without provocation so far, and plans on killing several more as part of the _first_ stage of her plan, her actions, while her main contribution to the plot, do not reveal everything about her character. As a result, the Pet the Dog trope can be an interesting way of showing how the villains act outside of their struggles for their goals; they may be striving for immoral goals with immoral means, but they are not always completely immoral themselves. The only character close to pure evil here is Hitomi, and that is largely because she was created in-universe to be devoid of empathy or conscience, so she is largely unable to act in a moral or altruistic manner.

The scene with Yukino was based partly on a scene in Episode 22, as was the idea of the situation deteriorating to the point at which students start cutting class. Having witnessed an armed invasion of the school, a Hime battle that is visible to the normal eye and many other strange events throughout the last few months, morale is likely to be low among the students.

Akane makes a reference to an event in "Natsuki's Prelude," in which, while Natsuki is investigating campus, during which she awakens as a Hime, she runs into Akane, who is looking for her notes. Natsuki offers to get Akane's notes for her, and while this is a pretext to get her out of the way, talking with someone her age actually causes her to think about how much Shizuru has helped her open up.


	10. A Sprig of Mistletoe

**Chapter 10: A Sprig of Mistletoe**

That evening, Natsuki, wearing her motorcycle outfit, met Yamada, the man who offered her information and tools in her quest for revenge- if at a price- in the Rorschach bar.

"I take it you have… it?" Natsuki said. Yamada produced the package.

"My payment, please," he said. Natsuki handed him twosets of bills- one for the product and one for short notice.

"Thank you," she said.

"If I do say so, you must be desperate," he said.

"You don't need to know why," Natsuki said. Yamada nodded in response- it was easier and safer to not know what his customers were planning- before Natsuki continued. "Let's just say that if I don't succeed, you'll likely end up a victim... or perhaps it's easier to count who here won't become one."

As Natsuki inconspicuously excused herself, she cast a worried glance at where her friends- as surprising as she considered the term- were waiting across the street. Whereas before, everything she had done had been to fit her goal of revenge, her plan now was to ensure they survived the night, and to a lesser extent, ensure the long-term safety of the other groups Shizune wished to purge from the earth.

_"How long has it been since I've sought to protect someone else?"_ Natsuki thought.

* * *

The previous night, the group had discussed Natsuki's solution.

"The problem is just that," Natsuki had said after outlining the problem had given her inspiration. "We are completely reliant on our powers. So I would suggest procuring a firearm somehow and using it to deal with Otonashi once and for all."

"A _gun, _Natsuki_?_" Mai said incredulously.

"Let's put things in perspective here, Mai," Natsuki said. "Your Kagutuschi can burn a path through forests and slice an aircraft carrier in two. Mikoto, Nao and I have defeated entire squads of soldiers armed with assault rifles and single-handedly destroyed tanks. A handgun is pitifully weak compared to those. And yet, now that our powers are failing us, it may be our only hope."

"What Kuga-san is saying makes sense," Yukino said. "In the old Norse legends, Baldur's mother saw a prophecy saying that he would die, and went through the world, making everything swear to be of no harm to him. The one thing she overlooked was a sprig of mistletoe, which she thought was completely harmless, and that sprig of mistletoe later killed Baldur when Hod unwittingly threw it at him. Perhaps Otonashi-san can only be defeated by a weapon she does not consider a threat."

"Wasn't the point that the mistletoe wasn't designed to kill people?" Nao said.

"As I said, a handgun is weak compared to our powers," Natsuki said. "Otonashi, with her power-nullifying abilities and shield, probably isn't scared of anything smaller than a cruise missile."

"How are you planning on getting it?" Midori asked Natsuki.

"I have some… connections," Natsuki said evasively. "I will, however, need to head into town, which could put us at risk of encountering Otonashi again, so I could use some help in case we encounter her on either leg of our trip. And it will likely, at earliest, have to be tomorrow night."

"Still, there's one other thing you should consider, Natsuki," Mai said. "Otonashi-san's powers seemed weaker after several of us had escaped, so it's possible that having fewer people around reduces their effects."

"Then again, Tokiha-san," Shizuru said, "The fewer people there are, the more effective the ability to block powers like she did with Kikukawa-san, is. We can conclude that it only works on one person at once, but a group of two people would not likely succeed. She would nullify one person's powers, dispatch that person quickly, then turn her powers to the survivor and quickly win."

"I'll bring four people with me when I go to retrieve the gun- Mai, Mikoto, Shizuru and Nao. With luck, that's few enough so that our powers won't be completely useless, but many enough so that we won't be left vulnerable if someone gets disabled."

"You're picking me?" Nao asked incredulously.

"You'll be quite helpful with Julia's webs, as you were against Asahina" Natsuki said. "While Mai- or Mikoto distracts Otonashi, and Shizuru forces her to parry her attacks, you will attempt to capture her while I deliver the finishing blow."

Natsuki realized back then that there was no guarantee her plan would work, or that they had accounted for all of Shizune's powers. But it was the best plan she had at the moment, and Shizune was a threat that needed to be eliminated.

* * *

"Are we ready to go?" Natsuki asked her waiting companions after the meeting with Yamada. "Without Yukino's Child, it's dangerous to remain out here longer than necessary."

"Kuga, I've been thinking," Nao said. "Are you really prepared to kill Otonashi?"

"It seems that we don't have any other choice," Natsuki said. "We could kill her Child, but our own powers aren't strong enough to do enough damage, and neither is any piece of modern technology we could bring to bear against her."

"We didn't have any choice when we had to destroy Alyssa-chan, Kirhara-san and Asahina-san's Childs," Mai said. "But it's still difficult to take a life, especially when you're setting out to do so rather than just killing the Child oblivious to what will happen next."

"As it should be," Shizuru said. "Otherwise, you might easily end up like Kirihara-san, killing without thought to the consequences."

"Tokiha and Fujino have the right of it," Nao said. "Kuga, have you wondered why I never killed any of the perverts I rob?"

"Because they don't deserve it?"

"That's only partly correct. Once you get to solving problems through killing, it changes your perspective on the act. Either you break under the weight of what you've done, or you slowly but surely become desensitized to it."

"I understand your concern, Nao, but I think we're out of options. At this point, it seems Otonashi is prepared to kill us all or die trying. If it's not possible to talk her down or destroy her Child, the only alternative is killing her." Natsuki paused for a moment. "But why are you concerned anyway?"

"We haven't always seen eye to eye, to say the least, but I can tell you're not the sort to kill whenever it's convenient. And I hope you never will be."'

Natsuki paused a moment, contemplating Nao's words.

"I appreciate it, Nao, and wish there were some other way," Natsuki said.

"My thoughts exactly; I wish I had some alternative myself," Nao said. Her stomach then churned with discomfort, but not because she had actually agreed with Natsuki, but out of realization that there would likely be no easy or pleasant solution for Shizune or the rest of the SUEs.

* * *

On the way back to campus, in a secluded area near the school, Shizune spotted the returning Himes.

"I've finally found you!" Shizune yelled, readying her Element. "I'm looking forward to killing some dykes tonight!"

"You're not killing anyone, least of all people whose beliefs or lifestyles don't meet your standards!" Mai shouted defiantly, summoning her element, as her companions did likewise.

Both sides had realized the time for discussion had ended the previous night. They had fully committed themselves to their respective causes, and now only one side would walk away alive.

"Argus!" Shizune yelled, and the large monster with a face full of eyes fired a sigil toward Mai, causing her rings to disappear and her to drop from hovering off the ground to a slightly awkward landing, causing her to stumble backward and fall. Shizune rushed in for the kill, but Mikoto swung her sword in defense of her friend, her eyes shining with a fierce yellow glow. Mikoto pushed with both hands, but her larger and heavier blade was barely keeping Shizune's sword, held in one hand, locked in position. Shizuru swung her naginata, but Shizune blocked it with her shield, and Kiyohime's attacks had little effect against Argus. Argus fired a laser at close range, causing Kiyohime to recoil in pain, and several other shots kept the other Childs at bay.

"Julia!" Nao yelled and fired a string of webbing . It was stronger than before, and held Shizune for a moment, but a small blue beam of light came from one of Argus's eyes, burning through the string. Mikoto and Shizuru seized the chance to launch attacks at Shizune's blind spots, forcing her to parry attackers from opposite angles, and leaving her immobilized.

In what seemed like an instant, Natsuki pulled out her gun, aimed it at Shizune's head and pulled the trigger. Shizune immediately realized what it meant, but her only response was a look of astonishment and an "Oh God, why-" before the bullet came to rest in her head, resulting in blood trickling down her face as if she were sweating on a hot day.

Elsewhere, Yukino, waiting with the rest of the Himes in an abandoned classroom, saw the Sigil on her body disappear, and then realized what had just happened. Summoning Diana, she observed the battlefield and cloaked it from normal people just as Shizune fell.

"They did it," she said. Although she was sobered at the necessity of taking a life, she also felt relief at the end of Shizune's threat to them, their loved ones and their ideals.

As Shizune fell, her sword and shield vanished, as did her Child. Shizuru noticed that Kiyohime was preparing to spit acid again.

"Everyone, run!" she yelled.

Nao climbed onto Julia, who jumped over the attack, while Shizuru retreated backward out of the line of fire, and Mai was able to shield herself, Mikoto and Natsuki with her restored powers. The acidic breath spewed forth from one of Kiyohime's mouths and dissolved Shizune's body until nothing recognizable remained.

* * *

Inside her dormitory room, Kyoko woke up late in the night with a pain in her chest. Her intuition told her that her death was close, yet she was able to accept it relatively calmly. She had always worried that her friends would die before making peace with her God, but while she did not understand why she was dying, she saw it as simply going home.

"Lord, please forgive my sins and watch over Reiko. I only wish I'd talked to Senou-san more and told her about You. I'm coming home…" Kyoko whispered.

Kyoko disintegrated looking over to the sleeping Reiko. Kyoko's face was wracked by pain, but with a slight, relieved smile on it, hoping to see her friend again in Heaven.

Within moments, the smile was the last part of Kyoko to fade into the darkness of the room.

* * *

"Natsuki, are you all right?" Shizuru asked. After a moment of failing to register what she had heard, Natsuki realized that Shizuru had spoken to her, and turned to her.

"I'm fine, Shizuru," Natsuki said. "…mostly."

"What do you mean?" Shizuru asked.

"The burden of killing Otonashi weighs on me, but it is not even my largest concern," Natsuki said. "I feel as though this conflict and the deaths associated with it are far from over, and I can't help but wonder if the next one to die might be one of us." She then looked at the gun she had used to finish off Shizune. "I'll probably have to use this again before this is over," Natsuki said resignedly before stashing it in a prepared holster under her clothes.

"Mai, what's a 'dyke?'" Mikoto asked.

"It's an extremely offensive term for a lesbian- a woman who is romantically attracted to other women instead of men," Mai said. "But I wonder, who among us could be one?"

"Maybe you, Mikoto?" Nao said. "You always seem very… touchy-feely with your female friends."

"Yeah, Nao, I often say I 'love' you, Mai, everyone else… could I count?" Mikoto said, confused.

"Or maybe Otonashi was just as insane as always and was grasping at straws," Natsuki said. "Let's get out before someone shows up."

* * *

"So Shizune-chan's dead," Midori said, meeting with Natsuki's team inside the classroom and hearing what had happened. "Did she give any indication that she was working with anyone else, and if so, who?"

"As if anyone else would agree with those crazy beliefs she has," Nao said. "It's possible there are more than one group of SUEs; maybe she was in league with the Advisor and Asahina was not."

"But we are at a dead end as far as things go," Natsuki said. "Unlike the last one, we have no idea where the next threat will come from or when, and unlike with Kirihara, we have no illusions of this being the last time."

"We'll have to keep a look out and watch other people around the school for suspicious behavior," Midori said. "Mai-chan, didn't you say we had a SUE running around before we even met Hitomi-chan, much less knew what they were?"

"Yes, that's correct- Suou Mariko-san, the student who disappeared without a trace," Mai said. "The only red flags were her being improbably popular and suddenly vanishing without a trace after her death. Akane-chan's diary serves as the only evidence she exists, and of how much of an effect she had on Akane-chan."

Midori considered what Mai had said, then spoke when an idea came to her.

"Perhaps we should do something similar," Midori said. "I'd like all of you to record a diary about your past, your personality, your relationships with others, and your current thoughts. If another SUE tries to change one of us, we can look at it to see how they're changed and notice if anything goes wrong."

Midori was confident in her plan, but knew the SUEs would not be defeated so easily. The battles to come would test the Himes' abilities and own inner resolves. Neither survival nor victory were guaranteed.

* * *

**Author's Note**:

Thank you for the reviews.

Nao, while possibly the most selfish and cynical of the Himes, is also no different from the others in that she, in normal circumstances, has lines that she is unwilling to cross or tolerate others crossing; she may be something of a jerk and relatively amoral, but she is not a psychopath. When things happen to push her over the edge, those lines tend to fade, but the same can be said of the other Himes (for example, Mai almost kills Mikoto while enraged over thinking her responsible for Takumi's death).

When Mary Sues get killed (although seldom permanently), I've noticed that rather than falling prey to their opponent's ultimate attack or an ingeniously devised plan, it's often something as simple as getting shot by a gun or stabbed by a knife. If you've played Dragon Age, you might have heard of the "Murder Knife," the dagger used to dispatch characters without a fight in certain dialogue options (when you might otherwise have to take several hits with a sword or use a magic spell), and something similar appears to happen in those cases. As such, Shizune wasn't aware that her death would come from something so mundane that she didn't think would be a threat, or so suddenly, which is what inspired the chapter title.

A three-chapter "intermission" will follow and focus on some of the characters' development so far.


	11. Calm Before the Storm

**Chapter 11: Calm Before The Storm**

In homeroom the next day, attendance had crept up slightly as a result of Haruka's enforcement of the rules, but few people's minds seemed to be on school.

"Mai-chan, have you seen Yoshida-san at all lately?" Aoi asked.

"Not at all, Aoi-chan, I don't think I've ever met her," Mai said. "Is she a friend of yours?"

Aoi sadly shook her head. "I'm not sure about that. We get along fairly well, although part of that's politeness rather than friendship. I keep wondering whether I should ask that we call each other by our first names, but I'm not sure if that's too forward for her."

"As close as Aoi and I are," Chie said, "I haven't met Yoshida-san, either."

"So you haven't seen her at all lately?" Mai said to Aoi.

"No, she missed class yesterday and today; she's been fairly unnerved by recent events."

"So have a lot of people," Chie said. "The teachers, executive committee, student council and administration are fooling themselves if they think that enforcement can stem the tide."

_"Are they?"_Mai thought. She had not been present for many of the meetings, although she did hear the results. To her, it seemed as though Fuuka Academy's student leadership was aware- if, like Mai herself, not completely so- of the true nature of the situation, and was doing what it could to prevent it from spilling over and involving those who were once oblivious.

The unnatural occurrences around the world caused by the Hime Star had everyone on edge, and Fuuka Academy was seen as the epicenter of everything that was going on. It fell on the Himes to defeat the SUEs and those behind the Carnival, lest the world be irrevocably changed.

* * *

Natsuki opened the door and saw Shizuru in the Student Council room, working on her laptop.

"Hello, Natsuki," she said.

"Hi, Shizuru… do you know who has vanished recently?"

"This is about last night, isn't it?" Shizuru asked. Natsuki nodded.

"I want to know who exactly vanished as a result of my defeating Otonashi. I feel it's best if I knew the consequences of what I did instead of running from them. The time in which I can simply ignore people vanishing as a result of Himes' Childs being destroyed has passed."

"That's quite admirable," Shizuru said, "but with all the disappearances and students skipping class, it's hard to tell who it could be. Otonashi-san is the kind of person whose beliefs would not likely endear her to anyone, especially given how zealous and militant she was about them, but perhaps she took an interest in someone else?"

Shizuru then handed her laptop to Natsuki, having finished her work.

"All yours, Natsuki. I'll be back in a little while." Shizuru paused at the door. "Just remember, I'm always here for you."

"Shizuru… you shouldn't get too close to me," Natsuki said. "If you're a Hime, you know what the implications are for both of us."

"If it's about the cost of being a Hime's most important person, I'm willing to take that risk," Shizuru said. "Besides, it's not possible for you to simply deny who you love most. Kirihara-san might have been able to care only for herself, but human beings simply cannot close themselves off from others in such a way, much less endure the loneliness that follows."

"Thank you, Shizuru…." Natsuki said. "I'm just beginning to realize just how correct that last part of what you said is."

Shizuru smiled, but as she walked off, she began to think.

"_Yes, it wouldn't be so bad to be Natsuki's most precious person… but does she really care for me in that way?"_

* * *

"So everyone has some kind of 'special person' of their own?" Mikoto asked Mai while sitting in their room that afternoon.

"That's correct, Mikoto, it could be a lover, a family member, a close friend or someone you admire," Mai said. "And unfortunately, if a Hime or a SUE loses her Child, their most precious person dies as a result."

Mai had a moment of hope; perhaps Nagi was lying and the destruction of a Child did not result in someone's death. But when Akane was defeated, Mariko vanished as a result, and while Mai was unaware of who Alyssa, Sekai and Shizune considered their most precious person, the fact that she did not know the identity of such a person did not mean that no one had died.

Mikoto was thinking the same thoughts, and after a moment, started to wonder about Mai's past actions.

"Mai… when that girl attacked you earlier- the same one you saw inside the time portal- you told me not to fight back. Is it because of this rule?"

"That's precisely it. If I were to defeat someone else, I would kill someone, possibly someone who had no connection to this fight in the first place, or even one of my friends or loved ones. If I lose, someone dear to me, possibly you, Takumi, or Yuuichi, will die. Natsuki worries she killed an innocent bystander in addition to the SUE who threatened all our lives. We don't even know whether Otonashi-san or the person she held dearest to her knew the risks."

"How do you know who's most important to you?" Mikoto said. "And how do they get to be that way?"

"Many people have asked that question in the past, Mikoto" Mai said. "I can't say for certain, but love is something that grows over time, and sometimes in places you'd never expect it to thrive. I couldn't stand Yuuichi at first but now, I've come to love him… and fear losing him in this battle."

"There's a lot of people I love around this school," Mikoto said. "You, Natsuki, Yukino, Chie, Aoi, Nao…" Mikoto continued with her list. "... and, of course, Ani-ue, whom I have been searching for all this time. I don't like to think that only one of us will make it out with her most important person alive or we'll become each other's enemies."

"Naïve as it might sound, I know this is not a zero-sum game, and believe it's possible for all of us, rather than just one, to make it out with the people we care about," Mai said. "But the SUEs don't seem to realize this, and apart from Suou-san, who might never even have encountered us, they seem bent on killing us if we get in their way, possibly so that they can accomplish their own individual goals, even if they risk their loved one's life in doing so. Reasoning with them is unlikely to do anything, although I hope to try when I can."

"So what do we do in that case?" Mikoto said.

"I'm not sure," Mai said. "But as much as you want to protect me, it may be that the solution to all this, if there is an alternative, does not involve fighting or defeating anyone. At the very least, I hope this is the case."

At that point, Mai's cell phone began to ring. Checking the caller ID, Mai noticed that it was from the hospital, and a feeling of dread came over her.

"Hello, Tokiha Mai speaking," she said, her voice wavering.

"Tokiha Mai-san?" a nurse on the other end said. "We have an urgent report regarding your brother…"

After hearing the report, Mai got up.

"Sorry Mikoto, I have to go, something's come up with Takumi!" she said before running out the door.

Mikoto was left alone with her thoughts and began to wonder about her relationships with others. Mai was, as always, a close friend and an incredibly compassionate individual who taught her much about love for others. But what kind of love did Mai show for her? Mikoto often feared that she was seen as a charge or a child under her protection, much like her brother, rather than a true equal, as well as if this attitude was displayed intentionally or subconsciously when Mai had asked her not to fight against certain opponents.

"_Do you think the same things too, Takumi?"_ Mikoto thought. _"Do you ever wonder if Mai fails to realize that you're stronger than she thinks?"_

* * *

About an hour later, Mai left Takumi's hospital room, where he had stayed since his recent collapse in his dorm room, and was shocked at what he had told her and what she had heard from the doctor. The goal she had worked toward for much of her life had seemingly been accomplished; he had been approved for a heart transplant in America. But he was leaving her behind in Japan, determined not to be a burden on her.

When Takumi told Mai that, his words had went through her like a sword. She had realized from her trip into her past how much caring for Takumi had defined her. But now, she was being forced to give up on caring for him and worse, heard that he seemingly no longer needed her.

"_For whose sake was I taking care of him for all those years? His sake? My mother's? Or was it actually my own?"_

On the way out of the hospital, Mai walked by the wing for comatose patients, and saw Nao emerging from one of the rooms, lost in thought. Even though Shizune's defeat had made it safe to go into town again, she had not sought out perverts to rob since she had gone back in time, finding no satisfaction in the act after having been forced to forfeit the opportunity to thwart or exact revenge on the robbers who killed her family. While Shizune was active, she served as a diversion for her thoughts, but with no SUEs active, she found her mind returning to her trip to the past, and could not escape questioning herself.

"Tokiha? What are you doing here?" Nao asked.

"I was coming to visit Takumi," Mai said. She idly glanced over to the plate on the wall with the room number, and noticed that the patient there had the surname Yuuki. "What about you, Nao-chan?"

Nao paused a moment, realizing that Mai, having seen the nameplate, would likely draw her own conclusions. "You've seen this much, and you probably have your own theories after our time traveling adventure, so I might as well show you the rest." She led Mai into the room, and pointed toward a comatose woman with short brown hair lying on the bed, an oxygen mask attached to her face.

"This is my mother," Nao said. "Several years ago, my house was robbed, my father was killed and my mother went into a coma from her injuries. The government pays to feed and house the lowlifes responsible, while I got shipped off to an orphanage, my mother lies in here, and my father is over there," she said, gesturing toward a small urn containing her father's ashes. "And as you may or may not have guessed, when we went back in time, to prevent the entire universe from possibly unraveling, I had to _let all of this happen."_

"I'm sorry…. "Mai said.

"You're _fucking_ _sorry_?!" Nao snarled. "Pretty much everyone who knows of what kind of crap happened to me gives me that look. It's a small gesture of kindness that you can make without having to give a rat's ass about the recipient. The people looking after me did nothing but that over all those years, caring for me as long as their job required then handing me off to someone else. But none of those self-righteous assholes had a damn clue how it felt to have everyone who cared for you ripped away for no good reason without true justice to the perpetrators… and neither do you, Tokiha!"

Mai paused for a moment. Nao's words hat hit close to home, for reasons she did not expect. Mai began to rethink how she had treated Takumi over all these years. Was caring for him a goal in and of itself? Or was it a means to an end, to prove her responsibility and atone for her causing his illness and her mother's death?

"You're right, Nao-chan, I don't understand." Mai said somberly. "Several years have passed, and I still miss my parents, but I've been able to accept their loss, as well as it being partly my fault. I don't know what I would do if one of them were in a coma and there were a small chance of them waking up to tantalize me. I also don't know what I would do if Takumi weren't around. It's been my responsibility to care for him, but that and his company have also been what keeps me going; if I weren't in his life, what would he do? What would I do if I were not responsible for him? But now that he's going to America for treatment, I may have to find out the answers to those questions."

Nao stood, speechless, for a moment. Mai had not indignantly or self-righteously defended her own actions, as Nao expected of someone like Mai, whom she perceived as someone who prided herself on her responsibility and resilience. Mai also had not broken down in pain from the scathing verbal barrage. She had doubted herself, was starting to reconsider things she had not questioned before, and stood poised to make a decision about her life.

"I have to go, Nao-chan," Mai said. "But thank you for talking to me. I was so wrapped up in self-pity I lost perspective."

"Are you saying that I proved that I'm worse off than you?" Nao said, confused about Mai's gratitude and indignant at the possibility of being pitied once again.

"That's not it," Mai said. "I realized that the problems in my life that I'm currently worried about are not the ones that matter."

Mai then took her leave, comforted only slightly. Once again, she knew what to do- Takumi had to go to America to accept the vital operation- but the question remained of how she would accept it. This was not merely a case of being forced to make a decision quickly and merely live with the consequences, as she had in her trip to the past, but to somehow come to terms with her brother's decision and understand his reasons, a more gradual process.

Nao stood at her mother's bedside for a few minutes. She briefly thought back to how her mother had looked when she was brought in, covered in bandages over wounds that the doctors said nearly sent her to the morgue along with Nao's father. She then thought of herself back then, feeling abandoned, betrayed and disillusioned with people in the world.

Then she began to wonder- what had she done since the robbery? Mai, for all Nao saw her as selfish and hypocritical, had something to work toward since losing her parents. But for Nao, there was nothing to ease her bitterness and loneliness until she became a Hime. Now, she was slowly realizing that her pervert hunts did not bring her any satisfaction, much less real peace, and virtually nothing she done had any constructive results. This was driven home when, in spite of having received the powers of a Hime, Nao realized she could not change the past or reclaim that which she valued most.

Looking at her mother's comatose form much as she had back then, Nao came to a realization.

"_Even after all this time, I'm still the same kid who just lost her parents," _she thought. _"No wonder Tokiha probably thinks I'm pathetic."_

* * *

Midori sat in her office, perusing information related to the Carnival. Her mind wandered back to the teenagers and young women under her wing. They were not warriors, nor were they exceptionally talented in fields relating to combat; most were in barely above-average physical shape. They had disparate personalities that often clashed with each other. They had many problems weighing on their minds, whether in their distant past or in the more recent months. They had some unresolved conflicts between them; Midori was still wondering what, if anything at all, truly happened between Nao and Yukariko, although she was pleased that Yukariko had apologized for suspecting Nao and Nao was willing to at least tolerate Yukariko.

And yet they were the world's best hope at this point. They had stood against many Orphans in the past. They had freed the school from an invading army and destroyed a satellite-like Child that could destroy virtually any building it targeted. They had defeated three individuals designed to be perfect. And they were growing closer as a team; Nao and Natsuki, the two loners of the group, had slowly begun to accept each other and the others.

Midori realized the darkest days were yet to come, and the Himes would have to improve themselves to face the challenges that would test them. Indeed, those who faced problems as grave as this one were almost never completely ready from the outset. But she believed they could rise to the occasion, defeat the SUEs and overcome their own inner demons.

* * *

**Author's Note**

We now stand a little before the halfway point in this story, and so this chapter and the next two will focus on the characters, showing how far they've come and what inner struggles await them ahead.

As painful as it is to lose close friends and loved ones, it can also be painful in its own way when you lose someone you didn't know that well, but were starting to like and get to know. If you've seen Puella Magi Madoka Magica, you can see at least two, and possibly three, examples of this, none of which can be discussed without spoilers and one of which sets off the main story.

As close as Mai and Mikoto are, it should be noted that one point of conflict in their relationship is Mai occasionally acting too "motherly" toward Mikoto and telling her not to fight, as seen in Episode 7 around the time Mikoto comes into contact with Nao, Episode 19 (Mai scolds Mikoto over attacking Yukino) and in Episode 20 (Nao claims Mikoto told her that Mai treats her "like a kid or her servant").

I skipped over the scene with Mai and Takumi, since it goes almost completely like in canon.

Nao seems to be, like others in her circumstances, someone who would despise what she sees as pity of any sort, as evidenced by her jab at Shizuru for sounding like a school counselor just before their first fight in canon.

Keep in mind that some of these plotlines will have different resolutions from the canon events, in part because violence is not breaking out. For example, Mai will have a chance to come to terms with her feelings about Takumi going to America; remember that the battle in which he died took place the same night he told her the news, leaving her too little time to overcome her initial shock or the other events that night. In another instance, Shiho will never kiss Yuuichi, because Mai does not happen to be in a position where she can see it happen.


	12. Chronicling The Past

**Chapter 12: Chronicling The Past**

In the days after Shizune's defeat, the Himes began writing in their diaries. They revisited pleasant and painful memories, talked about the people who influenced them, and discussed the experiences that made them who they were. They did so realizing that what's past is prologue, and in the days and weeks to come, they would have to confront those issues. What follows is some of what they wrote, which, whether they realized it or not at the time, had or would become relevant to their current struggles.

* * *

**Mai's excerpt**

_I've often heard that it's possible to do seemingly selfless acts for selfish reasons. The impact is good, but the people themselves remain selfish individuals. One could argue that this is not a bad thing in and of itself, but then again, those who would argue that point should wonder what such individuals would do when the act fails to satisfy the selfish desire, or when the person is denied the chance to act in such a manner._

_After visiting Takumi and meeting up with Nao-chan, I have to wonder whether my caring for Takumi is one such action. Indeed, while I can never forget my responsibility for it virtually no one else knows, and those who did would say anything other than "It's not your fault" or "You were a kid; you couldn't have known". No matter how much I do for him, I can never erase the fact that I made a mistake on that day years ago, although I wonder if, assuming a system of karma exists, that I could offset it by what I have done._

_But being a caretaker for Takumi is part of my personality, as I wrote before in this diary. If some reporter came up to me and asked what I did, I would probably mention being Takumi's caretaker after being a high school student and before mentioning my work at the Linden Baum restaurant. The said job at the Linden Baum is mainly to support Takumi; the list of things I do or do not do because of my obligation to take care of Takumi is longer than I would care to admit; a flowchart of how my various actions and goals would likely have everything link to Takumi with two degrees of separation or less (for example, one reason I go to high school is to get a good job so that I can support Takumi)._

_My performance in this duty also reflects my self-worth. If I am doing a good job, all is well. If I am not, I feel as though my parents are disappointed and I am once again causing harm. If I am no longer needed in this capacity, I begin to question what I can do with my life. If I forget Takumi and my greatest failing, I will slip into ignorant bliss at the cost of having learned nothing from what I've done. But how will Takumi feel?_

_My relationship with Takumi has grown complicated because of this. I occasionally wonder if he is an inverted case of what Nao-chan described; he considers me only useful in what I can provide for him, and only as long as he relies on my support. Perhaps he secretly blames me for his condition. Perhaps he intends to cut ties with me as soon as he is able to do so. I feel terrible that all this time, I have been thinking of what I have been going through and nothing of what it has been like for him, knowing that he is different, taking medicine every day, fearing that his heart will give out at any time, for any reason, and, like I am, going through childhood without his parents._

_But maybe things are simpler than that. Maybe I should look at it another way; he is considering my feelings and is trying to spare me any future pain and heartache for his sake- perhaps he can't stand feeling the guilt, but it's more likely he simply cares for me. I like to think I keep on a cheerful face, but some see through this façade, including possibly the one boy who's known me longer than anyone. Maybe, for even simpler reasons, he just wants to live as normal a life as a child without his parents can; the prospect tempts me as well._

_So Takumi, the operation in America is a wonderful thing, and I am happy for you. But please remember that your sister will always love you._

* * *

**Natsuki's excerpt**

_It seems strangely fitting that my Element and Child are associated with the element of ice. Apart from obviously being cold, ice has always struck me as almost completely impenetrable, more than what is essentially solid water should seem. I've seen people struggling to chip ice off cars and other machinery. Yet with warmth and with time, ice gradually thaws, becomes soft and fragile, before melting into water._

_I essentially convinced myself that I had to be tough to survive, to go through life and my quest for revenge without relying on anyone. Perhaps I couldn't cut myself off from people entirely- Yamada's information was necessary for me to get this far- but trust was another matter, especially when many of the people I dealt with had their own agendas. Even my own father would leave me behind to go off with some other woman. I have no idea what he sees in her, but suspect that it's as superficial as his connection with my mother and I was._

_At first I was successful fighting Orphans on my own, but then things became complicated and I realized the limits of my individual ability. I tried to prevent the other Himes from falling into the machinations of the First District alone, but failed. I tried to defeat the pantie-stealing Orphan on my own and failed, ending up getting bailed out by Mai and Mikoto, whom I wanted to prevent from reaching Fuuka Academy in the first place. I tried to take down Joseph, Miyu and Alyssa on my own, but failed, and Mai and Mikoto (whom I later found out had help from Yukino) bailed me out again. As such, by the time the Searrs army arrived, my track record, in addition to their numbers, forced me to cooperate with the others.  
_

_Over time, I've had to trust the people I fought alongside and acknowledge what I could not have done without them. Even Nao has proven trustworthy through all this- although I still wonder whether she attacked Sister. Perhaps Nao also realized, like I did, that fighting together, rather than with each other, is the only way for her to survive this with what she values most intact. Not even the most selfish of the Himes I know of hold the power the Hime Star can bring- admittedly a seemingly illusory and distant prize- over their most cherished people, though.  
_

_Shizuru is the one I have to thank for this, more than anyone else. She reached out to me when I could not trust anyone else, persisting even when others might have given up. The cynic in me might conclude that she befriended me out of pity for the poor lonely girl, but I like to think that I was able to avoid being perceived as pitiful, and believe Shizuru knows me better than that. She said it wasn't obvious to her at first that I wasn't the tough loner I presented myself as, but I've also noticed that she's more than the honor student and respected student body leader everyone thinks she is. She seems a bit like a celebrity in my eyes, with a public side she shows to everyone and a more hidden private side, but her befriending me, the act that has caused me to like her so much, is not one the majority of the campus knows about. I'd like to think I know her better than most other students, but wonder if there are things she hasn't told even me.  
_

_I'm not always the most touchy-feely person, but I often worry that I don't let on just how grateful I am for her companionship... or how afraid I am that my quest for revenge might end in her death should I be defeated. But how can I best express that to her? And do my feelings perhaps go beyond friendship?  
_

_Losing my mother scarred me forever, turned my world upside down and drastically changed my personality. But these recent events, while gradually rather than suddenly, have also forced me to question and possibly change myself. Revenge seems far less appealing than it used to, especially since I wonder what will happen to me once I accomplish it. Indeed, when I look back on the happiest events in the last few months, I think of my meeting Shizuru and my other friends, rather than making progress in my quest for revenge. Perhaps stopping the First District and the SUEs is necessary to bring peace to the world, but inner peace can only be found through my bonds with others.  
_

* * *

**Nao's excerpt**

_I swore long ago that I would never trust other people again. The world always seemed to confirm my belief that I could only rely on myself, and not only in the cases of malicious people, such as the robbers who treated my family as mere obstacles to be dealt with. I couldn't count on the judge who gave them their sentence; they might even be out before I reach middle age, while I wonder whether my mother will awaken at all. I couldn't count on the case workers who shuffled me off to the nearest orphanage before turning to the next children on their agenda. I swore never to trust in or work for the good of anyone but myself, since I couldn't trust anyone to work for my interests._

_After I became a Hime, things changed. I now had a way to assert my own strength over others; I could rob perverted men with Julia's powers, and leave them unable to report me without exposing their own crimes. If anyone tried anything against me, I had the upper hand. I didn't much care for Nagi or the Director, especially when they looked like little kids but acted much older, but I liked the gift I had been given._

_But then I was drawn into a wider conflict. When the Searrs attacked, I was faced with an army of soldiers, and had to band together with several people, some of whom I didn't like at all._

_-Kuga: I couldn't stand her. We were always butting heads and getting into verbal sparring matches. Yet somehow I can never come up with any differences between us that are more than superficial, which is what pisses me off the most. These days, I think that it's less because of I see her in myself than I see myself in her. In either case, I don't loathe her as much as I once did.  
_

_-Tokiha: Her attitude reminded me of one of those social workers who always talked about wanting to get into their line of work because they wanted to help others, acting like they're such saints for their work when they're only doing it to feed their own egos and reputations. At the time, though, I couldn't admit I was actually jealous of how much people liked her, or more recently, how much her life after losing her parents has made me question my own decisions after losing mine._

_-Sister Yukariko: Clearly she has no understanding of the world's less wholesome aspects, much less its unfair ones. She reminds me of a nun like her at the orphanage, Sister Ayame, who was never quite the same after she got back from a mission to a prison. She still wanted to make a difference, but she also realized life wasn't always fair and some people are absolute scumbags, and soon got transferred. Perhaps something appropriately harsh can toughen Sister Yukariko up enough before she screws up big time. There's also the question of whether she was trying to frame me for attacking her, but if she had been, she seems to have abandoned the plan. Did she get scared and back off? That seems like her, but the only way I could see her having the cunning to lie is if someone put her up to this. The question is, who?_

_-Kikukawa: She's ok, but maybe it's because since she's so timid and withdrawn, we don't talk much. Funnily enough, she could be considered much better socially than I am; my only real advantage comes from confidence, and she seems to be catching up there._

_-Midori: I don't know what bothers me more; her constantly acting like she's 17 years old (and seemingly being less mature than even myself), or the feeling that I get that it's all an act and she can actually be competent when it counts. Perhaps it's influenced by the fact that I'm also faking a fair portion of my at-school persona, and I can notice the signs that point to someone putting on an act.  
_

_-Mikoto: Actually, I get along with her pretty well, but she gets along with everyone. Could it be that she hasn't suffered as much, and thus hasn't become as bitter as I am? She certainly seems very innocent and not very knowledgeable about the world. But then again, so was I, once, and perhaps she could go down a different path of personal development than I did. Maybe she'll remain optimistic as an adult. Maybe she'll become hardened and cynical. Or maybe she might acknowledge how harsh the world can be, but retain the core beliefs that define her.  
_

_-Fujino: I'm certain that at least part of her polite, gentle and refined behavior is a façade, though I'll concede she's a hell of a lot better at faking it than I am. What I'm not certain is what she's hiding. I'm tempted to put on my polite, goody-two-shoes act in front of her, but I'm sure she has me figured out.  
_

_These people are often difficult to put up with. And yet, Tokiha and Mikoto decided to trust me enough to not jump to conclusions about Sister. They seemed to think that in spite of what they know about me, there was a chance I was a more compassionate person than I seem. And I also have to concede that as much as I want to rely on myself, I couldn't have defeated Searrs or the SUEs alone.  
_

_And despite my reluctance to trust others, things still cause the heart I hoped to freeze solid to stir. Kirihara making a cop kill 20 people was an act of someone cutting down others' lives without remorse like the robbers did so long ago, and I wonder how many children like me were left behind. And I couldn't help but worry about Kuga planning on killing Otonashi, even if I couldn't think of any other way. Kuga's many things, but she's not a murderer, and I hope, beyond doing what she had to do that night, she never will be._

_When I went back in time, I was forced to accept how much of my personality had been changed by that awful day. It was the source of my trust issues, my bitterness toward men and even my enrollment at this school- with the Kazahana Scholarship, the orphanage decided to send me to Fuuka. I could never go back to the way I was before, and so realized it was an inextricable part of my life I could not simply do over._

_And yet again, things have changed. I now see my nightly pervert hunts as pointless; what good can my powers do if they couldn't undo the most tragic event in my life? And what can fill the void? To make matters worse, every time I fight, I risk extinguishing the small hope I have of my mother recovering, should my Child die and her along with it. Before, I used to think that the possibility of my mother waking up was a poor consolation prize, but now that I stand at risk of losing even that, I fear that if that happened, it would completely break me.  
_

_Speaking with Tokiha forced me to see how things could have been. She had an outlet to pour her energy into, to make up for her mistake, occupy herself and try to fill the hole in her heart. So what if it was for selfish reasons? She couldn't possibly be as selfish as I am. It was an actual goal to work toward, rather than merely causing pain in order to ease hers._

_I then have to wonder; has my life simply been a self-destructive tantrum against the injustices I've suffered? And what should I do now that I've realized this?_

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Thank you for the reviews.

Natsuki's entry makes a brief reference to her entry on the "Ineffectual Loner" page on TV Tropes, which points out that she loses most of her solo battles, and only is able to defeat Shizuru (and die in the process) to allow Mai to end the Carnival, by acknowledging that she's not alone. That's a fairly interesting commentary on her character.

The diaries will continue in the next chapter, this time focusing on the Himes who are mainly looking toward the future, and whose issues primarily lie in the present carnival.


	13. Looking Toward the Future

**Chapter 13: Looking Toward the Future**

While some Himes looked into their pasts, others looked toward their futures. The conflict had changed them from ordinary people into warriors, and often forced them to question themselves. They thus examined how their power had or would change them, and whether it solved or added to their own personal problems.

* * *

**Midori's excerpt**

_It's hard when you witness something that until now, you'd thought to be impossible. In that sense, I can sympathize with the people who think a mechanical malfunction sunk the ferry, a lightning strike burned a path through the woods behind campus, or the Shizune-chan's laser beams were someone shooting a movie. For them, because they cannot imagine the possibility of a battle between Himes and SUEs, the truth cannot be conceived, much less be discovered, like a multiple choice question with no correct answer. But this also means that an innocent police officer who was mind controlled is demonized as a mass murderer, that no answers lie behind what people will likely call the "unidentified female body found in the woods behind Fuuka Academy", and the ordinary people will be completely helpless against the SUEs or the Orphans if they decide to come out of the shadows._

_I, too, wasn't quite imagining anything like this when I first awakened as a Hime. At first, it seemed like fun, living out my fantasies of being a superhero while actually accomplishing something meaningful as a failed student who was only hired as a teacher due to a shortage of qualified applicants. But then, I learned that these things have a price, and my mistakes impact more people than myself. Professor Sasaki might die if I lose, even though for all the information he sent, he has no clue of its significance. And because I decided to hold off on pursuing Hitomi-chan, a dangerous mind-controller who has no qualms with killing, so that I wouldn't rush in half-cocked and get some of the girls killed, over 20 people- and possibly some we don't know about- died. The worst part is I can't say for certain that it wouldn't have happened if I had gone after Hitomi-chan immediately; I may face decisions with no entirely correct answers in the future, where none of the possible outcomes are ones I desire._

_And now we're expected to turn on and fight each other with the fate of our loved ones on our line. This is a rather troubling prospect. I like all the girls, but if I had to choose between any one of them and Professor Sasaki with no alternatives, I would choose Professor Sasaki, just like any of them would choose their most important person over me, as they had met me months ago, at most. No one said we had to choose, though, but our alliance holds only as long as our members don't think of the Carnival as an event in which only one person can walk out with their loved one. I also wonder what the Hime Star could possibly offer to the winner, but I hope no one sees its power as enticing enough that they would be willing to defeat the rest of us. It's like the Prisoner's Dilemma; a betrayal can give great gains, but both parties lose in a mutual betrayal, and both parties can achieve a good, if not ideal, result by trusting each other and finding an alternative outcome to the Carnival._

_I think back to the time when I essentially was forced to thrust all the responsibility and risk onto Mai-chan, Natsuki-chan and Nao-chan during their battle with Toki-chan and their trips into their own pasts. All of reality hinged on those three sacrificing a possible opportunity to change their own lives, and I felt guilty about being unable to do anything more than sit back and count on them. But now that I have thought about it, the world is essentially taking our success for granted without thinking about the efforts put into it, like how we expect clean, hot water to come out of our showers when we turn them on. We might not have chosen to participate or even be the ideal participants, but it's up to us to bring this conflict to a good resolution.  
_

_Perhaps this conflict isn't a clear-cut one like in television, films or video games. But I do believe that, as always, we have the ability to write a happy ending to it. While our choices may be difficult, it is possible to protect both the world as a whole and the part of it that we cherish most at the same time._

* * *

**Mikoto's excerpt**

_For as long as I can remember, my main goal in my life has been to search for my brother. You might think of it as a goal that was drilled into me, but over time, I made it my own, and pursue it because I want to, not because anyone made me._

_But who is my brother? Does he even think of me as much as I think of him? How should I love him as a younger sister, and what is love, exactly? My memories of him are hazy, and sometimes I begin to wonder how much is what I imagine and how much is what I remember._

_And what if one of the SUEs impersonates my brother or prevents me from recognizing him? Midori speculated that the SUEs might pose as one of our relatives using their powers, and alter our memories so that we could never know the difference. Several of the men I mistook for my older brother had the courtesy to let me know that I was mistaken, if not always politely. If I ran afoul of such a SUE, my search would be over, with me mistaking a failure for a success, and perhaps I might even meet my real brother without realizing it._

_And what if my brother really doesn't care, is not a good person or in any way does not live up to what I expected? Natsuki said when you pursue a goal for a long time, you often have an unrealistic expectation of the payoff, an idea I wonder whether she applies to herself. I fear my expectations of him are unlikely to match reality, and that I have not considered the implications of meeting up with a sibling you have never met, and may never have heard of before._

_But as happy as I am with Mai and her friends, despite the fact that I wonder why Mai seems so protective of me and unwilling to let me fight, the goal still beckons to me. I must settle this once and for all, whether my brother meets, exceeds or falls short of my expectations. I will give my all for the sake of our bond, out of a desire to reunite the two of us and satisfy our desire to be together. Maybe this is love, or at least one aspect of it._

* * *

**Yukino's excerpt**

_Sugiura-sensei asked us to write this diary partly in case we change in the future. For me, I wonder whether the change is necessarily a bad thing, much like if someone accidentally drove off with my old, worn-down car while leaving me the keys to their new car._

_This is not to say that I do not see the value in keeping these diaries. It is important to leave behind a reminder of who I used to be, just like how literature professors should remember learning to read their first books, back when they could barely understand them, much less analyze them for deeper meanings and themes. Haruka-chan remembers when her family was not well-off, and instead of seeing her humbler beginnings as a mark of shame, believes that is proof that people can overcome their circumstances with enough effort._

_The principle is noble, but I've often seen it fail in reality. Haruka-chan ran against Fujino-san, and lost, 12 votes against 817. She knew before the end that she could not hope to win, especially on a platform of zealous enforcement of the rules, but wanted to give Fujino-san enough of a fight to make her acknowledge her as an opponent. However, the two have contrasting personalities and abilities, and I consider Haruka-chan the stronger woman. Fujino-san may be talented, but she is talented to the point at which she often does not need to try hard to succeed. Haruka-chan does not have as much talent, yet all her victories are the result of sheer hard work and determination. If Fujino-san's victories are sometimes almost given to her, Haruka-chan's are always earned._

_In some of Haruka-chan's more vulnerable moments, she suggests that I am, in some regards, more talented than her. This, combined with my new Hime powers, inspire me to try harder and try to be more confident; if Haruka-chan can get as far as she does with what she has, there is no good reason I cannot get at least as far._

_The powers have changed me, as they likely have for everyone else. Some may have new options that they have never considered before. Others may have the ability to do whatever they have always wanted. Still others may become reliant on their powers, using them over their natural talents and abilities. Having to go without them for a day reminded me of the mere human I was before this began, and will likely become again once all this is finished. And yet, as Haruka-chan said, I'm not the same timid person I was back then.  
_

_I wonder whether I will retain the parts of myself at my core after I change, even if I do not fall victim to a personality-altering SUE. Even someone like me has things they are proud of- my intelligence, my compassion, and my friendships with Mai-chan, Mikoto-chan, and most of all, Haruka-chan._

_I have three desires for myself in this Carnival- to be myself, to be someone who can look herself in the mirror with pride and that these two things will not be mutually exclusive._

* * *

**Shizuru's excerpt**

_I hope no one will ever look into this diary for the same reason there are few I would allow to see myself naked. It represents my vulnerabilities, things I would not wish to show to others, much as the way clothes are meant to cover those parts and present an appealing appearance to others. And yet, these aspects of my personality are ones I hope never to part with._

_Of course, this does not mean people will not draw false conclusions from my appearance. With regards to my appearance, people often say I look nice, but whether I am in my school uniform, a business suit, a formal dress or a kimono, it's often my playing the role I have been assigned in a given situation. Similarly, my life is largely defined by living up to people's expectations; I play the role well but still feel like an actress in a costume, and the people I know all too often are fans of the character, rather than the actress. Suzushiro-san might see me as a rival, but the me she is struggling to best is the person I am expected to be; I wonder how she would react if she learned who I really am.  
_

_Some expectations are more difficult than others to meet. An especially difficult one is that I am expected to marry someone, one whom I can choose for myself but who must meet my parents and the rest of the Fujino family's high expectations, and one day have children. The main problem here is that one of my family's expectations, which they believe is obvious enough to go without saying, is that person must be male, when my interests lie in other women._

_Supposedly, it is normal for young women to form close friendships with other women, but just as training wheels are discarded when bicyclists master their balance, these are only meant to prepare the girls to marry men, rather than each other. At 18, legally old enough to marry, I should be virtually done with this phase, just like I gradually lost interest in playing with dolls before being told I was too old for them, but I see no end to it in sight. Instead, as of late, my interest in women has become more focused- on one certain Kuga Natsuki. She's beautiful in many ways, and, like me, tries to project confidence while hiding her own insecurities, but even that which she hides is quite cute and appealing in its own way.  
_

_And yet, I can never have her because she is a girl. Too many people see that as an aspect of society that is not open for questioning, much less up for debate, like being required to be present on time for your appointments. Openly persecuting or mocking people like me beyond refusing to give us the same acceptance as relationships between men and women is frowned upon, but that is mainly because such behavior violates other taboos of society. They might see Otonashi-san as despicable for wanting to kill people she disagrees with, but are they willing to accept such people? It is hard to find people whose minds have not already been made up on this matter, and so it is difficult to find anyone to talk to about this, and easy to assume I am a pariah who is breaking the rules.  
_

_I would be willing to risk everything- rejection by my family, the rest of my friends and society in general if Natsuki would accept my love and the risks it entails. But I still somehow know that she won't ever return my feelings. Perhaps her friendship would be enough under normal circumstances, or at least, it is what I should accept; I could lose even that if I confess to her. But now we must put the people closest to us on the line as we participate in the Carnival. The nature of my bond with Natsuki does not matter here. If I lose my Child, Natsuki will disappear forever. But will the same happen to me if Natsuki loses hers?_

_It is possible for a Hime's most important person to be manipulated. Tokiha-san told me that Higurashi-san is in love with Kurauchi-kun, but Suou-san disappeared instead when Higurashi-san was defeated. My memories are unclear, but I wonder if Suou-san once replaced Natsuki as my most cherished person. And is it possible in the future that a SUE will use her powers to steal- a harsh word, but the way to describe appropriating something without earning it- Natsuki's heart, or to manipulate me into forsaking my feelings for Natsuki?  
_

_What I want most is for Natsuki to accept me of her own will, for who I am, not because I or anyone else coerced her into doing so. It's a selfish and egotistical desire, but one of the most human ones that exists; to love and be loved in return, to have the mutual trust that serves as the foundation for true love and to be as much of a part in your most cherished people's lives as they are in yours.  
_

* * *

**Yukariko's excerpt**

_There's a part of me that says I am obligated to advise these children as best as I can. They are going through a difficult phase in their lives, with academic pressures, learning about loving one another, and now, being forced into a struggle to the death with their loved ones' lives on the line. But I am as lost as any of them, perhaps more so._

_Ishigami Wataru-sensei approached me with kindness while I was in a vulnerable position, anguished after facing an Orphan for the first time and being accused of injuring Senou-san, with seemingly no one willing to believe my claim of innocence. I had hardly any experience with men, so I accepted him, unaware of his true intentions. Before long, he realized I was a Hime, and over time, he let me know more about the Carnival. He revealed that he was a member of the First District, hence his knowledge of the Carnival, and he wanted to take the power of the Hime Star away from his employers, who would use it for their own ends. He also was quick to point out that it was likely the only way I would be able to remain with him, as other people would be trying to destroy my Child- thus killing him- and likely kill me as well in order to succeed. I believed him and did what I had to._

_The first task once the Carnival was underway was to frame Nao-san for attacking me; he told me that she would be the quickest to betray me, and my ability to turn the others against her would be vital in ensuring her defeat. But things went wrong, and I was forced to retract my story as a result of Kirihara-san making her presence known, and establishing herself as an alternate suspect. I wonder whether Sugiura-sensei and the others suspect anything, especially considering Nao has not acted suspiciously since then, but knowing that I failed in my attempt to betray them does not matter. Neither does the fact that he has put his plans on hold since Kirihara-san was first caught robbing people, being unaware of Asahina-san until after her death, and considering Otonashi-san too much of a threat and too difficult to manipulate.  
_

_When I was younger, I was taught that God was always watching us and judging our actions. It was later taught to us that people behave differently when they think no one is watching, and that it is in those instances that they reveal their true character, rather than the image they wish to present to others.  
_

_I only remembered the latter lesson recently. But it was after I had made my decision, and after I had given myself to Wataru-san. In the crucial moments, I made my choices, choosing Wataru-san over my companions, and again over my vows as a nun. I realize that there is no going back from it this time and no hiding from the consequences once it comes to light. I cannot tell anyone about what I have done, but it is possible that I will forget my shame and my remorse, as well as the whisperings of my conscience. If that happens, I will continue down a path that causes misery to myself and others without realizing it, which is the worst possible fate I can imagine.  
_

_Reading the Bible, and the account of the robber who turned to Jesus during their crucifixion, I have also heard that it is never too late to do what is right, and it may be possible to save your soul even when your life is forfeit. The only question is, what exactly can or must I do?  
_

* * *

**Mai's second excerpt**

_A willingness to risk your own life is seen as an admirable trait, albeit not an act to be done lightly. Some people make a career out of doing so to save others, and are highly respected for it. But what happens if the life you risk is someone else's? Are you any different than a murderer if you end up sacrificing that person?_

_My death is a real possibility in this battle; the Orphans, the SUEs and some of the rival Himes- including the nameless assailant who has attacked me before- will not hesitate to take my life. But in these battles, we risk the lives of those most precious to us. They may be lovers, family members, or friends, but they didn't choose to be most precious to us, or to be involved in our battles. Neither did we, but at the very least, if it were only our lives on the line, we could say that our own mistakes are what killed us._

_To make matters worse, President Fujino mentioned that one's most important people are not always mutual. Disregarding the implications of what this could mean for her and her most important person- most likely Natsuki- it is disquieting to hear that I could potentially lose my life as a result of the defeat of someone infatuated with me, or give my affections to someone who had none in return for me. And while I tried to keep Yuuichi at a distance, I am unable to deny my own feelings for him, especially considering I have had to rethink my relationship with my own brother._

_Kirihara-san might have been able to become her own most important person. But to do that, she had to be- or become- an utterly twisted and amoral psychopath. It's possible that as a SUE, she was specifically designed with that purpose in mind, or her creator did not care to give her the conscience and other abilities normal people possess. And Otonashi-san's defeat puts the lie to the idea that I can distance myself from others. Even she, a fanatical religious zealot who kills those she disagrees with, most likely cared for someone else. If my suspicions about Yoshida-san are correct, she somehow had the misfortune to become Otonashi-san's most important person, most likely without her or Otonashi-san even realizing, much less intending it._

_And so I fight on, hoping that I can one day ensure that we no longer have to risk the people we love in order to admit our love for them to them or ourselves. The world may be a harsh place in which people can lose everything while gaining nothing, but not all values are mutually exclusive and not all stories have tragic endings. It is up to me, and those I fight alongside, to determine how ours ends._

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Midori has the rare distinction among the Himes of not only not doing anything morally questionable for the sake of her most important person, but essentially sacrificing that person for the greater good by having Gakutenou block an attack by Mikoto on Miyu's casket. She may not look like the most mature individual, but the Himes can benefit from listening to her.

In the Drama CD track "As the Cherry Blossoms Bloom", Shizuru expresses her belief that her feelings for Natsuki are improper and implies that she has been suppressing them for a long time. It's possible that social stigmas against homosexuality played a role in this, and so I decided to expand on why she seems to consider her love for Natsuki to be "wicked", and some of her reasons for being reluctant to tell her how she feels. It's also implied that the shift in her attitude is partly caused by learning about losing those closest to her; she fears that she will lose Natsuki, but somehow hopes Natsuki will return her feelings.

One might question why Yukariko didn't go against Ishigami from the start of his evil plans. One possibility is that, being naive and sheltered as always, she has almost no ability to say no to people, regardless of whether what they are doing is just or unjust. Another is fear of the consequences, as she's absolutely terrified while being suspected of attacking Aoi after first being established as a Hime, and it is likelyshe, like some of the others, fears being defeated in battle. The struggle between her guilt and her fear will play out later on in the story.

The next chapter will herald the start of a new battle, and the arrival of a new SUE, so stay tuned.


	14. Two Worlds Brought Together

**Chapter 14: Two Worlds Brought Together**

As the Himes met in the garden, a restless mood had descended on them. It had been several days since the last SUE attack, and no suspicious activity had been noticed. The Himes had their own theories on why this was happening. Some, such as Natsuki, suspected a subtle plan that would only manifest itself when the time was right, and hoped that when it did, they would not be too late to stop it.

Midori had taken the opportunity to do research on the Carnival itself, knowing that she could not delay dealing with it forever, and choosing to find out more as long as they did not have the SUEs to deal with. Among the things she hoped to discover was a possible way for it to end with as few losers as possible, so that as few innocent people would lose their lives as the price the defeated Himes or SUEs had to pay.

"I've found out some more about our enemy," Midori said. "A mysterious figure known as the Obsidian Lord is in charge of the Carnival, and every time one of us is defeated, the Carnival gets closer to its end- and his goal."

"What does that mean for us?" Natsuki asked. "Do we just sit around waiting for SUEs to show up, or can we at some point take the fight to the enemy? I'd like to take them by surprise for once."

"Unfortunately, the texts are rather unclear on who or what the Obsidian Lord is," Midori said. "It doesn't say whether he has a base of sorts; he could even be someone we know. As for the Usurper, he never comes up in the texts, but one possibility is, as his name implies, that he wants what the Obsidian Lord would stand to get at the end of the Carnival, and wants this to proceed according to plan until he usurps the Obsidian Lord's position and steals his prize."

"There isn't much time left to find out; the news reports around the world look rather grim," Shizuru said. "Tensions are rising at Fuuka Academy and the world at large. The student body has been on edge since the Searrs takeover, and after seeing the lasers firing during the battle with Otonashi-san, rumors have spread, students are cutting class en masse, and everyone seems to be losing faith in the student government and administration. One more incident could easily force us to shut the school down."

As if on cue, a vaguely insect-like walking robot appeared on the scene. It fired a laser at Mai, who blocked it with her shield.

"Gakutenou!" Midori yelled. With a swift charge, she plowed through the robot and cleaved it in half, turning it to dust.

"Was that… a SUE?" Midori asked, and then she noticed a man in a suit clutching his chest and a gem as he faded away. He had been accompanied by a monster companion, and while the monster's destruction triggered his death, Hitomi was also an exception to the Himes' rule. But something about his defeat seemed off; he had been defeated too easily compared to most of the SUEs.

Then several more robots appeared on scene, as well as some Orphans, proving that the last man was no mere intruder, but the vanguard of an invasion.

"What… Orphans?" Mai said. "I thought they were gone!"

Yukino quickly pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialed Haruka's cell phone.

"Hello, Yukino?" Haruka said

"Haruka-chan, it's an emergency! A large force of unknown creatures is attacking Fuuka Academy in the garden! The rest of the Himes and I are there fighting the invaders"

"Got it! I'll start the evacuation! Hold them off!"

As Mai and the others summoned their Childs, an announcement came over the loudspeaker.

"This is Suzushiro Haruka. The campus is under attack by an unknown hostile force. Please calmly proceed to the gymnasium"

Natsuki's Duran fired at another robot, blowing it apart with a single shot. Shizuru's Kiyohime bit into a large seahorse-like Orphan, one head clamped around the snout of its victim while the others bit into its body. Mikoto quickly slashed off the arm of an Orphan, forcing a woman out of hiding as she clutched her own arm in agony. Mikoto then sliced the robot's legs, and the woman fell to her knees, before the robot fell with the final blow.

More robots and Orphans surged onto the scene. Yukino knew that they were slowly being overwhelmed, and even with the students evacuated, they could not keep their battle a secret, or hold back the enemy forever. She shifted her cameras over to the students and confirmed that no enemy forces were headed in that direction.

Nao's webs tangled an Orphan that resembled a dragonfly, forcing it to crash to earth. Mai's Kagutuschi then burned it alive with a relatively weak blast of fire. Yukariko shot down a flying robot out of the air with her bow, as many others came from the skies. The Himes fought off the robots and Orphans in a semi-circle formation, but were slowly being pushed backward.

Then, at that point, as a squad of airborne robots appeared, suddenly, a woman, wreathed in flames and shooting through the sky like a missile, plowed through all of them, causing a series of explosions. The figure descended to the ground, and Mai recognized her face- for it was her own.

"Y-You're…" Mai said to the new arrival.

"You?" the other Mai said. Upon closer inspection, the other Mai was slightly older, and clad in a mostly orange suit of armor. "My name is also Mai Tokiha and it looks like there are a lot of counterparts for people I know- Mikoto, Natsuki, Shizuru-san, Yukino-san, Nao-chan, Yukariko-sensei, and Midori of the Aswad. We came here to fight the enemies who are attacking your world."

Meanwhile, the enemy forces began to withdraw as several of the other Mai's allies arrived. A tall woman who resembled Natsuki raised a large cannon and fired it at a retreating Slave, blowing it apart. Shizuru's counterpart swung a two-bladed sword, cleaving a flying fish orphan in two.

Other faces, both people the Himes did not expect to have powers and ones they saw as unfamiliar arrived. Haruka's counterpart hoisted a large mace and crushed the head of a dragon-like robot. A girl with brown hair and braids burst through the sky, slicing through a large gelatinous Orphan.

"Good work so far, everyone," Natsuki's counterpart said. "But they seem to be regrouping; let's confer while we plan our strategy; they could be trying to lure us into a trap." She then glanced over and saw her younger counterpart.

"We also have some… unanswered questions… to discuss."

* * *

The two groups met in the cave where the Himes had hidden during the Searrs Invasion and exchanged introductions. Natsuki's counterpart, Natsuki Kruger, who introduced herself as the headmistress of a school called Garderobe, said she had brought over some help; her assistant and friend Shizuru Viola; their fellow Column, Juliet Nao Zhang; the Otome of the Queen of Windbloom, Arika Yumemiya; the Otome of the President of Aries, Haruka Armitage; the Otome for the King of Florence, Shiho Huit.

Midori gave Natsuki's counterpart a brief explanation about Himes, Orphans and their battle against the SUEs.

"I see, so you've been fighting against people like this for some time now," the other Natsuki said. "And it seems your powers have a different source from ours."

"Just wondering, but could you please clarify just who you people are, exactly?" Midori said

"Otomes are, as I said before, the bodyguards and champions of heads of state," Natsuki's counterpart said. "They each have a unique item known as a GEM that grants them powerful weapons that, like yours, are called Elements and strong armor called Robes, but at a cost; their well-being is inked to that of their masters. If Arika were stabbed in her left leg, Queen Mashiro would feel pain in her left leg. If Arika's right arm were severed, Queen Mashiro would feel pain in her right arm equivalent to what Arika was feeling. If Arika died, so would Queen Mashiro. This has the effect of making most military engagements duels between Otomes, with the lives of the heads of state on the line. "

"Can anyone become an Otome?" Mai asked. "That seems like a great deal of power and responsibility, not unlike what we have as Himes, but we did not choose to take on."

"Potentially, as long as they're female," Natsuki's counterpart said. "But the training program is highly selective; while virtually every girl your age whose family has the money for tuition or access to scholarships applies, only 50 girls per year are accepted, only half of whom make it to the second of two years and an even smaller percentage of whom become Meisters. And the Otomes are not free to throw around their power as they please; they may only Materialize their Robes when their masters permit it, and are under the watch of the Five Columns- of whom myself, Shizuru and Nao are members, and who are also subject to their own rules."

"It seems that power is, in that world, highly exclusive, even if you don't have to be born with the potential," Natsuki the Hime said.

"There are other means of obtaining military might," Natsuki's counterpart said. "We have similar, and possibly even more advanced, military technology to your world, but there are also the Slaves."

"The robots we encountered earlier?" Mai the Hime said.

"Slaves are essentially similar to your Childs," Natsuki's counterpart said, "but they have a synchronization feature similar to the one Otomes have with their masters; anything that happens to one will have the same effect on the other, and when you deploy a Slave, you put your life on the line. To put things into perspective, though, with a Slave in their possession, an untrained infiltrator could take down a platoon of armed and trained infantrymen, or be more than a match for a tank, without being exposed to danger. However, most Otomes can defeat them easily, and as I've noticed, so can you Himes."

"Have you seen any kind of leader behind this?" Midori asked. "We're looking for someone who has, as I mentioned earlier, unusual powers, a bit like ours."

"I was just about to mention this," Natsuki's counterpart said. "In the past few days, we've had an incident in which Taiyuan's Otome, the wielder of the Stormy Cherry Blossom Chrysoberyl, was attacked by a mysterious assailant, killed and had her powers stolen, although oddly enough, her master remained alive. We attempted to track down the culprit- a teenage girl with green twintails- but she had apparently vanished through a portal to this world, along with some former Schwarz members. From what you've been saying, she seems to be one of the SUEs you have been fighting against."

The two sides then began to draft a plan of attack, sending out three teams to hunt down the enemy while keeping a fourth team to protect the dignitaries and scan the battlefield. Natsuki the Otome was chosen as leader of the combined forced based on her experience and skills, as were the other squad leaders.

**Defense Team**

_-Natsuki Kruger (leader of operations)_

_-Tokiha Mai (Hime)_

_-Kikukawa Yukino_

_-Arika Yumemiya_

_-Himeno Fumi_

_Dignitaries to be protected: President Yukino Chrysant, Queen Mashiro Blan de Windbloom, Emperor Kazuya Krau-Xeku, King Charles Guinel Roy d'Florince VIII, Fuuka Academy Director Kazehana Mashiro_

**Patrol Team 1**

_-Shizuru Viola (leader)_

_-Kuga Natsuki_

_-Juliet Nao Zhang_

_-Minagi Mikoto_

**Patrol Team 2**

_-Haruka Armitage (leader)_

-Sanada Yukariko

_-Fujino Shizuru_

-Akane Soir

**Patrol Team 3**

_-Sugiura Midori (leader)_

-Yuuki Nao

_-Mai Tokiha (Otome)_

_-Shiho Huit_

Mikoto sighed with disappointment that she didn't get to be on Mai's team, but reluctantly accepted both Natsukis' reasoning that Mai's ability to create shields was invaluable for protecting the heads of state. Shiho put on a polite facade to hide her intense disgust at getting stuck with Nao Yuuki. Shizuru Viola, meanwhile, was pleased to have an opportunity to get to know the other Natsuki.

* * *

Elsewhere, in the shelter where the evacuated students were hiding, Haruka made another futile attempt to contact the outside world, only to find that her phone had no reception and her laptop could not access the Internet.

"How are things going, Haruka-san?" Reito asked.

"Not well," Haruka said. "The invaders must have taken out the communications equipment like they did when we got occupied by Searrs. Although… I wonder how the cops would fare against these invaders. Maybe it's for the best that they aren't involved."

"Apart from that, how is everyone else holding up, Haruka-chan?" Yukino said over one of Diana's spores. "We're preparing to launch our counterattack; luckily, the invaders seem to be ignoring the school."

"It looks like we've got another problem, Yukino," Haruka said. "Several students are missing from those evacuated to the shelter. For example, Munakata Shiho…"

"She's hospitalized, Haruka-chan," Yukino said. "Although she should be getting out in a few days."

"Ah, right. Okuzaki Akira, a middle school boy is another." Haruka then read off a short list of the absent students' names. "See if you can find any of them- although some might have skipped town already- and tell that bubuzuke woman I wish she were here to help calm the evacuees!"

"Do they realize what's going on?" Yukino said.

"Not exactly, but they have their suspicions," Haruka said. It then dawned on her what Yukino was implying. She sighed before continuing. "I see what you mean. I suppose I shouldn't really complain when you're out risking your lives. But we have our own problems here, and it pains me that I can't do more about them."

"President Fujino?" Yukino asked.

"Yes, Kikukawa-san?" Shizuru said, briefly stepping away from Team 2.

"Haruka-chan mentioned that some students are missing, such as Okuzaki Akira-kun..." Yukino then proceeded to list the rest.

"I understand, I'll keep an eye out for them," Shizuru said.

"And also… she would prefer that you were back with her, to provide leadership."

Shizuru looked downcast as she pondered what Yukino had told her.

"Can I please speak with Suzushiro-san?" Shizuru said.

"Certainly," Yukino said before putting a spore that acted like a microphone over to near Shizuru's mouth.

"Suzushiro-san, I just spoke with Kikukawa-san," Shizuru said. "Your point is understandable, but the situation is rapidly deteriorating, and the students are losing faith in their administration in ways that words and the presence of their leaders alone cannot fix. We will most likely have to shut down the academy once this incident has been resolved, which will only happen once all the invaders, including the SUE in charge, are defeated."

"You're just… giving up like that?!" Haruka said, with a mixture of disbelief, disappointment and frustration. As annoying as she found Shizuru's attitude for the work, she had a certain level of respect for her abilities, for being refined, diplomatic and persuasive without seemingly much effort. But Shizuru, who supposedly was able to do many things more easily than Haruka could, and could do some things Haruka could not, was saying there was nothing she could do?

"Sometimes, one must decide which battles can be won and which battles are worth fighting, especially when trying to fight a battle you cannot win leaves you unable to win another one that you must win," Shizuru said. "We most likely can't stem the tide of students departing, but we can defeat the invading enemy. My battle is out there; I would provide little help, and could possibly endanger the students by drawing the enemy there. Yours and Reito-san's are helping keep the students calm and ensuring that they do not fall into harm's way."

"I understand," Haruka said dejectedly. "If fighting's all you can do at this point, just win, ok?"

"I will," Shizuru said. "Please keep the students safe; this was never meant to be your fight or theirs."

Haruka nodded, then after saying goodbye, stepped back to deal with the students.

Mashiro thought over the state of her school. It had never been her intention to involve so many non-Himes in this battle, despite the academy's use as a way to gather the Himes. While most Orphans could be dealt with discreetly enough, and the Himes kept their battles secret to avoid attracting the attention of their rivals or third parties such as law enforcement, the SUEs had gradually pushed the fighting to open war. And now with another world involved in the fighting, there seemed to be no limit to how far the conflict would escalate.

* * *

Sekai, the SUE responsible for the attacks, waited in the forest, and heard a report from one of her Schwarz followers.

"Sekai-sama, several Meister-level Otomes and three of the Five Columns have come," a woman said to her. "An international alliance has formed against us."

"Send forth thy minions," Sekai said in her usual maner, an archaic mode of talking she adopted to make herself seem imposing. "We can prevail as long as the Himes are defeated."

_"See to it that you do,"_ the Usurper said inside her mind. _"It has taken a great deal of effort to provide you with the resources at your disposal."_

Ordinarily, the presence of new enemies meant the odds were even greater, and most likely heavy casualties for Sekai's forces. But Sekai saw an opportunity to harvest even more powers. She believed that by the end of the day, the powers of several Himes and Otomes would fall into her hands, as the Stormy Cherry Blossom Chrysoberyl had, and they were worth any amount of sacrifice from her forces. With them at her disposal and the majority of her foes defeated, she would be unstoppable.

* * *

**Author's Note: **In the next few chapters, there will be some references to Mai-Otome; I will explain them as they come up, with also some in-universe explanation for when the characters have questions, albeit when their questions are relevant to the situation at hand.

The Stormy Cherry Blossom Chrysoberyl is a reference to Sakura Hazakura, Bel Glan Artai's Otome in Mai Otome Sifr, who is on loan from Taiyuan.

The SUE's powers this time represent a few things. Mary Sues often have powers completely foreign to the setting, sometimes far more powerful than what anyone the setting in which they were inserted has, and such powers are often derived from other works.

Incidentally, it's quite interesting that Mai-Otome is contained under Mai-Hime in Fan Fiction's lists of source animes. It's not something I planned on when writing this brief crossover, but it worked out nicely in the end.


	15. Battlefield Fuuka

**Chapter 15: Battlefield Fuuka**

Akira crept through the forest, eyeing a pair of Slaves nearby. She had worked by eliminating foes who wandered from their patrols, a form of slow, yet steady guerilla warfare that maximized her potential. Gennai had some tricks that worked with her training, but no weapons that could lay waste to large groups of enemies like Kagutsuchi's flame blast or Duran's cannons could, nor any strong close-quarters weapons like Mikoto's sword or Shizuru's naginata.

Akira then spotted one of the Slave controllers nearby, a man dressed like a janitor holding one of the gems she recognized. Akira also recognized that as the Slaves suffered damage, so did their users, and wondered if the opposite was true. She quickly threw a barrage of knives, burying one in the man's skull and one in his neck. The fading Slave confirmed Akira's theory and the woman's death. The other Slave then noticed Akira's presence, and Akira realized that only her Child would have the force to destroy it. Akira then pointed Gennai's floodlights on the Slave's shadow, and leaped atop Gennai before firing its Hissatsu: Jigoku Gama attack at the Slave, plowing a hole through its back. The other Slave user, a woman with blonde hair and a black dress, felt as though all her ribs and her spine were breaking before she vanished into thin air.

Moments after Akira had defeated her target, she heard a voice from behind her.

"Hold it right there," the voice, a somewhat harsh one of a girl in her late teens, said.

Akira turned around slowly, and saw several vaguely familiar looking figures- Kuga Natsuki, Minagi Mikoto, a seemingly older version of the student council president clad in purple armor, and an older version of Yuuki Nao, one of her year mates.

"Okuzaki Akira?" Natsuki said incredulously. There was a note of worry in her voice; if Akira, a male in her eyes, wielded the power of a Hime, "he" could easily be a SUE, by virtue of subverting the typical requirement that a Hime be female.

"Yeah, that's Akira." Mikoto said.

"You know her, Natsuki-san, Mikoto-chan?" Shizuru's counterpart said.

"Yeah, I've met him a few times and… her!?" Natsuki said, before remembering the pronoun Shizuru had used on Akira.

"H-how did you know?" Akira said.

"Let's just say I met someone who looks just like you a while back, and she was pretending to be a boy. I'm not sure the girl who looks like a younger version of me has it figured out yet, though, but I wouldn't put it past her."

"Also, your disguise sucks," Nao said. "I'm embarrassed I fell for it the first time."

A hot blush spread over Akira's face for a moment, before the implications of this encounter dawned on her. Her identity as a girl and a Hime was once again compromised, and two of these people were rival Himes. They would be even less likely to keep it a secret this time, as they, unlike Takumi, did not have a bond with her, and could not be persuaded. Killing them was the only way of protecting her secret, but not only was Akira outnumbered three to one, but she suspected they were the ones responsible for tearing through a group of a half a dozen Orphans that she had seen earlier, but was hesitant to engage. They had come from the direction the group had gone, and the Orphans had vanished with barely any sounds of conflict.

And yet, the other Himes showed no hostile intent at the moment. A mere tactical advantage was not worth risking her life over, and it was not worth risking Takumi's life over, even when an invader was not threatening the Academy. _"Father will have to forgive me later,"_ Akira thought.

Having resolved a quandary the others present did not even know about, Akira broke the silence.

"Are you fighting the Orphans and... other invaders?" Akira asked.

"We are, and we could use any help you provide," Shizuru said. "We've noticed that you seem to be their enemy as well."

"Very well, then I will assist you!" Akira said.

Shortly afterward, a large force of about five Slaves and eight Orphans appeared , surrounding the group.

"Ninpo: Kiri Gakure!" Akira yelled, shrouding the group in mist as they escaped. The foes converged on the mist, blinded, disoriented and unable to find their prey. A red web fell on them as Nao unleashed her Robe's power, then Natsuki readied Duran.

"Duran! Load silver cartridge! Fire!" Natsuki shouted, as two shells flew toward the trapped enemies, destroying them in a large explosion. Four Orphan stragglers charged the group, but Shizuru slashed through two of the flying Orphans with her double bladed Element, and Mikoto jammed her sword into the ground, causing spikes to sprout from the ground and impale the two ground-bound Orphans.

A flurry of green and yellow sparks was all that remained of the group of adversaries.

* * *

"They found Okuzaki-kun!" Yukino said, back inside the cavern. "Or should I say Okuzaki-san?"

"Wh-what do you mean, Yukino-chan?" Mai asked.

"It appears that 'he' is not only a 'she', but also a Hime." Yukino said. "She's fighting alongside Viola-san's team."

Mai froze as she understood the implications of this. Akira seemed closest to her brother of everyone at Fuuka Academy, and thus endangered his life every time she fought as a Hime. But then it occurred to her; as Yuuichi had become her most important person, due to her growing feelings for him and the slightly increased distance between Takumi and herself, how many people would she harm if she lost in battle? Shiho would lose her long-time friend and crush, the kendo team would lose a former member and the Student Council would also lose their errand boy. People's lives were interconnected, and as such, someone's disappearance impacted everyone else, even if they were mere acquaintances before.

Mai hoped to talk with Akira, to learn why she fought and rule out any possibility of them becoming enemies in the future. But more than anything, Mai hoped Akira would be able to avoid being defeated, both so she would not lose her brother, and because none of the Himes deserved to have their loved ones stripped away by the contest that they were born to fight in.

* * *

Elsewhere, Mai the Otome and Midori charged through a squad of Orphans. Both their charging powers were boosted by one of Mai's flaming rings, and Nao's webs ensured that the enemies were unable to escape their fate, and Shiho Huit's use of a hand-cranked voodoo doll incapacitated the others..

The mysterious girl who had attacked Mai twice before saw the woman who bore the same face as her target, but realized that and the name were the only parallels. The "other" Mai was older, taller, wielded a different weapon and was clad in apparently futuristic armor. And even if the girl had found her target, she was surrounded by apparently sympathetic forces, including one of Fuuka Academy's teachers and a fellow student.

The girl withdrew for the moment. Perhaps once she found the real Mai, an enemy that required that Mai's undivided attention would emerge, and with it, an opportunity to ambush her.

Unfortunately, she did not get far before they noticed her.

"Over there!" Midori said. "That's the girl who's been attacking Mai-chan!"

The girl gave off a terse "I don't have time for you!" in her altered voice before unleashing a gust of wind that forced the patrol group to dodge in different directions. With her enemies scattered and on the defensive, she quickly escaped in the confusion.

"Who was that?" Mai asked as the team regrouped.

"She showed up twice before and attacked your counterpart," Midori said. "We don't yet know what she's after."

"Something about her… looks familiar," Shiho said.

"I'm sure I would have recognized spiral hair like yours under that hood, but I didn't see any," Nao said.

"EVEN IN AN ALTERNATE WORLD YOU NEVER CHANGE, JULIET!" Shiho shouted, temporarily forgetting that they were in a battle zone. Nao looked on blankly, understanding the reference as little as she understood most of Shiho's alternate world.

Yukino, watching this scene, pointed one of her cameras at the girl. With luck, they would be able to track her movements, and even end the battle before she became a hindrance.

* * *

Haruka Armitage was well-suited to aggressive action, and her team quickly cleared the way through enemy lines in an attempt at reaching the SUE behind the invasion. She and Shizuru's counterpart spearheaded the attack, while Yukariko fired arrows from behind and Akane stayed by Yukariko to protect her from any enemies.

"Not bad, Shizuru," Haruka said after clearing a group. "But I suppose I should be able to expect this much of my rival's counterpoint."

"I appreciate the compliment, Brigadier General," Shizuru said graciously, noting that the other Haruka held the other Shizuru in an apparently higher regard than her Haruka did for her. "But I think you mean 'counterpart."

"Right, right."

They then found Sekai, walking through a portal. She was confident that she had managed to divide the enemy's forces, and hoped to attack their most vulnerable group first before she turned her attention to the others.

"Thou hath fallen for my ruse!" she exclaimed, laughing maniacally before closing the portal behind her. Some Orphans went through while the rest stayed behind and engaged them in battle.

Haruka tossed her Element at the group, bursting through two Orphans like a cannon ball, and reeled it back to herself to block another attack. This group was no match for their abilities, but defeating them was no trivial matter, nor one that could be done quickly enough to chase down Sekai.

"Damn..." Haruka muttered.

* * *

Elsewhere, the girl who had attacked Mai gritted her teeth in frustration as an Orphan burst into flames after being hit with her Child's laser, and three others advanced on her from all sides. These repeated skirmishes with the enemy forces were no challenge for her, but they wasted her time and energy when she had a target to pursue.

"_Where are you…?"_ she thought as she seethed with rage over Mai's constantly fleeing their encounters. Her rage then manifested in a shower of feathers that caused her foes to stagger, enabling her Child to use its beak to spear one of them, then shoot the other two with its laser. The girl hid as Haruka's team rushed by on their way back to the cavern, peering out only long enough to confirm that her target was not there.

* * *

As a blue portal opened inside the cavern, which had otherwise not been a theater of battle, the Himes and Otomes readied their weapons as Sekai stepped through, accompanied by several Slaves.

"So she can make intra- as well as inter-world teleports," Natsuki said. "That must be how how she evaded our patrols."

"The other teams are still a few minutes away," Yukino said, having informed the others of the situation.

"That's where we come in!" Arika said.

"Thou art verily presumptuous, whelp, to even conceive of being able to vanquish one so illustrious as I," Sekai said. "My insurmountable powers will rend thee asunder, and I will harvest thy abilities!"

"You mean the powers you _stole _from others," Natsuki said. "And you clearly didn't think yourself up to fighting Haruka's team or else you wouldn't have gone for this portal stunt."

"Thou shut the hell up!" Sekai said, agitated to the point at which she was unable to maintain the archaic speech. "Thou hath no chance of winning against me!"

"Are all the SUEs this insane?" Natsuki said to Mai, sweatdropping.

"The ones we've met are unbalanced in their own ways," Mai said. "But they're dangerous all the same and have powers that are in many ways greater than ours."

Sekai drew out the katana used by the wielders of her Gem, as well as a wakizashi. However, Arika noticed that she also had a gem around her neck, and pressed it with her thumb, summoning a Slave that resembled a large scorpion.

"She has a Slave!" Arika shouted.

The Orphans flew forth, and Fumi charged into them with her scythe.

"Please leave these reinforcements to me," Fumi said, charging at the new arrivals.

"Understood, Fou-Fumi," Natsuki said. "Arika, engage the SUE in close quarters combat! Mai, shield the non-combatants and try to get a shot in when you can! I'll try to take her down from at range!"

Sekai tried to fly at the defenseless Yukino, but Mai blocked with a sword slash with her shield. She staggered under the force of the blow, noticing that it was far too powerful to come from a mere human body.

_"If I'd blocked with my rings, my arm would have been broken at best!" _Mai thought. _"With this strength, it's no wonder why the Otomes are feared."_

Kagutuschi prepared an attack, but another portal opened, and a large, whale-like Orphan, formed from the shapeless, translucent mass that was Genesis, her Child, blocked the attack. Arika attempted to seize the opportunity to attack, but Sekai parried with her katana and began to counterattack with her two swords, forcing Arika on the defensive. Sekai parried a powerful swing from Arika, then absorbed the force of the blow into her wakizashi, before launching it at Arika in a thin, spinning, crescent-shaped air blade that she barely dodged. Natsuki prepared to fire a blast directly at Sekai, then pulled the trigger on her Element. The beam surged forth, but then Sekai blocked it with her wakizashi. She withdrew, then pointed the blade, now glowing red, at Mashiro and the others. Seeing the attack coming, Mai flew in front of it and blocked it with her shield. The blast threw her backwards, but none of the dignitaries were harmed by the attack.

"Mashiro-chan, let's do it!" Arika yelled.

Arika then assumed her Materialize Zwei form, gaining the larger Claymore of Akatsuki. With one blow from the sword, Sekai, despite blocking, was thrown backwards, and Arika attempted another flame blast. The flame blast went into another portal and went right back at Mai, who was forced to deflect it with her shield. Arika continued on the offensive, but a blast of wind with razor-sharp cherry blossom petals threw her backward, cutting her face. Mashiro, feeling the equivalent force of the attack, winced in pain and clutched her cheek. Sekai began to launch a sphere full of petals, but Mai burned them with a fireball from Kagutsuchi, and forced Sekai to absorb the attack into her wakizashi.

Meanwhile, Natsuki was busy dodging the scorpion-like Slave blow, but as Mai's projectile was absorbed, saw a new opportunity to attack her enemy. She escaped to a safe distance and readied a shot.

"Load Silver Cartridge! Fire!"

The red blast of energy plowed forward toward Sekai's Slave. While Sekai was still preoccupied with Mai and Arika, who demanded her full attention together, she noticed the projectile, but did nothing about it, even as it struck and obliterated the Child. She only realized her mistake as she too began fading into the air.

"Thou… bastards… you…!" she screamed before her body vanished, along with her Child and the Emperor of Taiyuan.

Fumi sliced through the remaining Orphans, and looked up to see that her allies had already won their fight. The battle, much less the war, was far from over, but yet another SUE had been defeated and the Himes were one step closer to victory.

* * *

**Author's Note**

The scene with Akira references Episode 11 and 12 of Mai-Otome, when Akira disguises himself as Prince Takumi and visits Windbloom. Shizuru sees through her disguise and interrogates her as to where the real Prince Takumi is, but Akira escapes and finds Takumi with Mashiro. Nao, on the other hand, doesn't seem to notice. Additionally, Akira is not outed as female by Mikoto until Episode 19 in Mai-Hime; notice that she has a tendency to get snuck up on despite being a ninja as well as a Hime.

I essentially made up the Stormy Cherry Blossom Chrysoberyl's powers, basing them somewhat off of Senbonzakura from Bleach (specifically the razor petals). The ability to absorb and return attacks, to create portals and copy powers are all Sekai's SUE abilities from her Element. Her Child has the ability to replicate anything she has come into contact with before (its main use being to provide ammunition, reagents or other materials for powers that require them, such as unlimited ammunition for a gun or blood for a dark magic ritual).

At one point, I had planned for one of the SUEs to be male, but in the end, couldn't decide which one to make male, since I wanted him to represent more than simply giving power to someone who should not have it. So I decided to make Akira a suspect by virtue of seemingly being male.


	16. Invasion Aftermath

**Chapter 16: Invasion Aftermath**

Yukino checked the screens, as the rest of the Otomes and Himes were busy fighting, despite the immediate surroundings being free of enemies, Suddenly, the Advisor appeared before them.

"Congratulations on yet another victory over a SUE, Himes. You did well forming an alliance with the Otomes."

"You again?" Mai said. "We could have used your help against Otonashi-san."

"But you did not need it," the Advisor said in a matter-of-fact tone. "Your powers failed you, but Natsuki came up with another way to win, and showed that as heroes, you had more at your disposal than the powers you were given. Here, a misstep could easily have set you and the Otomes against each other, but you managed to cooperate against your common enemy and win despite her having the allegiance of minions from both worlds. You will face more difficult challenges in the days ahead; the SUEs to come will be stronger, more competent and receive more assistance from their master."

"How are we able to understand each other?" Natsuki the Otome asked. "And why would this girl's portals work for us as well?

"For your first question, there are several possible answers how you can understand each other, but as for why, you were given that ability to improve communication, and because you may very well be speaking the same language." Natsuki the Otome wondered about her world's past; perhaps clues about it lay here. "As for your second question, think of it as the downside to Sekai's powers and the consequences of her actions. She could gain powers in multiple worlds, each one granting her superhuman abilities, and they, working in concert, could potentially make her virtually or even literally invincible. But every time she did at the expense of someone else, she would make yet another enemy. This was to be her test of whether she could overcome the odds with her unnatural advantage, and she failed."

"So what happens to us now that we've defeated this SUE?" Arika said. "Are we stuck here forever, or can we go back home?"

"You will be able to go back home once the remaining forces have been eliminated. Meet at the school."

* * *

The girl in the white kimono noticed the battle cooling down and realized that she had no choice but to flee. The Himes and Otomes had won the day, and would be scouring the battlefield for any stragglers. It would be difficult to catch Mai unawares, and virtually impossible to find her alone. The girl realized that for these reasons, as well as others, she was out of time. But other opportunities would come, for the issue that set her against Mai was not yet resolved.

In her mind, Mai should have been able to understand her vendetta against her, but that would change soon. Mai would learn the truth… and then fall at her hands. When that time came, there would be no escape for her.

* * *

About 15 minutes after the Advisor's arrival, he had confirmed that the last of the invaders had been dealt with. The Himes then met up for a roll call, before separating to deal with their own tasks; Yukino, for one, had to inform Haruka of the situation.

Mai sat with Akira in an abandoned classroom. By this point, someone in her social circle turning out to be a Hime was no longer a surprise, but the fact that her brother's best friend on campus- if not more than a friend- was also a Hime was disquieting, given that her defeat could spell Takumi's death.

But the question before her was clear. Did Akira even want to fight?

"So, Akira-kun, how long have you known that you are a Hime?" Mai asked.

"As long as I can remember," Akira said. "My father anticipated this in advance and gave me a name that sounded like a boy's but could be used as a girl's. From even before I was born, I was being groomed to be my clan's representative in the Hime Carnival."

"But what would your clan seek to gain out of all of this?"

"Do the leaders of a nation tell their soldiers the reason why they're being sent out to die?" Akira said bitterly. "Whatever the case may be, the leaders of my clan will inherit the power of the Hime Star, while it is my job to fight and kill to gain victory. Defeat is unacceptable and so is death; should either of those happen to me, I will be seen as a disgrace to the clan rather than a martyr. And if my life only has value in what I can achieve for the clan, it isn't hard to imagine how much they value the lives of the other eleven Himes and their most cherished people."

"So would that make us enemies?" Mai said.

"Before I answer that, what do _you_ want?" Akira asked.

"All I want is to get through with the people I care for, and as many others as possible still alive," Mai said firmly. "Takumi is one of those people."

Akira smiled slightly.

"Then we have more in common than you think," Akira said. "If it were up to me, I would not agree to participate in this foolish struggle to fulfill my clan's selfish desires, even if it did not involve killing up to 11 people and risking Takumi's life. He's the kindest boy I know, always thinking about others- you in particular, and a sensitive, loving soul. And to be honest..." Akira said. "Takumi has known my gender for some time; I think it was a day or two after the Searrs attack."

"He... he never told me," Mai said, surprised, before she remembered that Takumi had kept many things, including his feelings about being dependent on her, a secret from her.

"My clan decreed that anyone who learns of my gender must die, but I couldn't bring myself to enforce this on Takumi, even when he seemed resigned to death. I even forced some pills down his mouth when he started coughing right there. Compared to those who judge me by my skill as a Hime and ultimate success or failure, he is able to relate to me more as a person, and as such... he's more than a roommate to me."

Mai thought about what Akira said for a moment, then came to a solution.

"Akira-kun, could you please accompany Takumi to America?" Mai asked. "I'd prefer it if he did not go alone, even if he desires to not impose or depend on me, and perhaps this way, you would not have to be dragged into the future battles of the Himes."

"Yes, _I_ would very much like to do that," Akira said decisively. "He's always saying that he doesn't want to be a burden or anything like that on you, but even I'm not too proud to accept help in situations like this. I'm sure I can persuade him one way or another."

For the first time, Akira was not acting according to her status as agent of the Okuzaki clan, a Hime, or any of the other roles thrust upon her. She was simply a girl, choosing to stand with the boy she loved at one of the most crucial points in his life.

* * *

Shizuru sat with her Otome counterpart and the other Natsuki in the Student Council office, both of whom had deactivated their Robes in favor of the clothing they wore as the headmistress of Garderobe and her assistant. In order to find out how best to approach the issue of her feelings with Natsuki, she believed the best course of action was to speak with their counterparts and find out whether they had experienced anything similar in their past.

"How exactly did the two of you get together?" Shizuru asked. "From what I heard, your world has different standards on… girls getting close with other girls."

"It was in the second year of my time at Garderobe, and Natsuki's first year," the other Shizuru said. "Some time after the start of the year, second-years pick two first-years to help assist them in ways such as cleaning their room, and in return, they mentor the first years."

"Garderobe is, as I said before, highly competitive," Natsuki said. "Shizuru was first in her class, and- as I've heard you are- quite popular, so there was fierce competition to be her room attendant, since having a good 'onee-sama' to mentor you puts you at a considerable advantage. And the top Pearls, who can afford to be choosy, naturally take an interest in high-ranking Corals."

"Unfortunately, while Corals have to serve a Pearl and can't specifically choose which one, they can refuse a Pearl's request," the other Shizuru said. "I found out the hard way when I approached Natsuki with this request while seeing her as no different from any other fan apart from being second in her class, someone who would accept without a second thought."

"In other words, I said no and slapped her on the face," Natsuki said.

"Oh my," Shizuru the Hime said with surprise and slight amusement at the bluntness of Natsuki's statement.

"Your counterpart may have offended me with her request," Natsuki said to Shizuru the Hime, "But if she treated me like any of her other fangirls, I also saw her as nothing more than the top-ranked student in her class, the head of what you might call your student council, the peerless warrior, and the graceful and polite servant. Once we got to know each other more, and accepted each other as the people we were rather than the ones we imagined, we established a relationship that continues on to this day."

"That's a touching story," Shizuru said. "Are all senpais this close with their kohais?"

"Not always," the other Shizuru said. "Natsuki would be obliged to address me as 'onee-sama', and I typically only use her title of 'Headmistress' on more formal occasions, such as when I'm in front of the students, staff or public. But the bonds between senior and junior Otomes, while not intended to take priority over their masters, are said to be the substitution for the romance with men we can never have. While many are, as the term 'onee-sama' applies, relations between elder and younger sisters, some of those bonds are explicitly romantic."

"It's the opposite here," Shizuru said. "Homosexuality is viewed as taboo, and this belief that my own love is 'wicked' and my fear that Natsuki does not view me the same way or also sees homosexuality as disgusting has stopped me from talking to her or anyone else about it. To be honest, I wasn't sure how you'd react, except that you were similar to Natsuki and I, and would at least be trustworthy enough to take my secret back to your world, so I could at least talk to someone about it."

"I'm not sure if I can speak for your Natsuki," the headmistress of Garderobe said, "but the two of you should be honest about how much you mean to each other to remain good friends or become anything more than that."

"I will," Shizuru said. "Thank you both."

"You're welcome, Shizuru-san," the other Shizuru said. "But don't feel pressured to make your move until you're certain it's the right approach." She then idly rubbed her cheek as if to emphasize her point.

As Shizuru excused herself, she realized the decision she had to make regarding Natsuki had become clear. The only question was how to go about doing it.

* * *

"Do you need something… Mai-chan?" Mai the Otome said as Mai the Hime walked up to her in the hallway.

"That's correct, Mai-san," Mai the Hime said "Or is it onee-sama?"

"That's just a title of respect and admiration my junior Otome give me," Mai the Otome said. "Mai-san is fine."

"Mai-san, do you have any enemies or people with grudges against you back in your world?"

"Let's see…" Mai the Otome said, sobering as she faced the unpleasant task of listing everyone she had wronged- intentionally or not- as if she were standing ready to be judged at the gates to the afterlife. "A lot of people- my parents included- weren't happy when I ran away from the royal palace of Zipang. I had rivals among my classmates at Garderobe, at least one of whom had to drop out before her second year because of me. When I disappeared- by accident, this time- with the Fire Stirring Ruby, some people were likely upset. And when I fought alongside Natsuki, Arika-chan and the others in retaking Garderobe, quite a few Schwartz operatives were killed by me, although you could say the same of the other combatants on my side. But, as far as I know, I don't know of anyone who's trying to kill me."

"I see," Mai the Hime said, disappointed, before the significance of one seemingly minor part of the other Mai's statement hit her. "Your parents are alive?"

"Yes, they are, as Shogun of Zipang and his wife," Mai the Otome said. "I suspect that's not the only thing that's different about your life and mine."

"That difference changes a great deal," Mai the Hime said. "I felt responsible for what happened to Takumi, and so worked hard in order to provide care for him. I could never think of running away from that responsibility, if I didn't think he was in good hands."

Mai the Hime then paused as a realization hit her. Perhaps, apart from any satisfaction or sense of purpose caring for Takumi gave her, this is what she had been looking for all this time, a chance to give him as normal a life as he could expect in his current circumstances.

"Back to your original question, was this is about the girl who's been attacking you?" Mai the Otome said. "I encountered her earlier, but she retreated; I'm not sure if it's because she had the wrong you, because she was outnumbered and at risk of being ambushed by a third party, or both. I'm sorry I can't help you find her identity or motive."

"I've just noticed," Mai the Hime said. "We have the same name, look the same and sound the same, but our lives are almost completely different. My parents, for example, are dead. Some of my friends are people you've only met a few times. And yet, there seem to be fundamental similarities to us; General Armitage is no less headstrong, persistent and impulsive than Suzushiro-san with her powers."

"I've had more or less the same reaction," Mai the Otome said. "The Shiho-chan of my world absolutely _hates_ Nao-chan, but your Nao-chan apparently doesn't know her world's Shiho-chan. Now the question is how this person who attacked you is different from anyone I know, if she's the counterpart to someone in my world, and what could have caused this difference. But I'm still at a loss for where to go from there."

"Don't worry about not being able to help me, Mai-san," Mai the Hime said. "I'm sure that whatever the problem is, it's the result of something I- the Tokiha Mai of this world- am involved with myself, and it will fall on me to resolve it once and for all, and I hope to do so without getting anyone uninvolved caught up in it. I may not know my enemy's name or face, but I do know that I will face her again and resolve everything."

"Good luck, Mai-chan," Mai the Otome said.

* * *

Finally the time for departure came, and the Otomes gathered near the portal with the dignitaries they were protecting, ready to return to their world.

"So it's about time for you to go?" Midori asked.

"Unfortunately, it seems that… 'Advisor' won't allow us to fight alongside you any longer," the other Natsuki said. "He contacted us once in the beginning, after we had identified the SUE as the attacker, and had declared we had helped enough to earn his help, but he seems to believe that any SUEs after this one are your problem."

"That is correct," The Advisor said. "The Himes are on their own now, but while no one will come from other worlds to aid them, the same can be said for their enemies."

"But didn't the Himes say that the SUEs were likely not native to their world?" Yukino Chrysant said.

"Indeed," the Advisor said, "but they are seeking to masquerade as someone from the Himes' world, and change that world through their actions. Your universe will be spared any further involvement in their conflicts"

"I've noticed you're rather selective on when to help us," Natsuki the Hime said.

"I am not here to fight on your side," the Advisor said. "If I wholeheartedly assisted one side with the intention of enabling them to win, their victory would be guaranteed. This is as much to see which side will prevail under relatively fair circumstances, and my intervention is only to ensure that the contest remains reasonably fair while the battles and other challenges appropriately test you and your rivals."

"But will the Himes be able to fight and defeat their enemies without our or your help?" Natsuki's counterpart said.

"They've done well so far, especially considering that they have no formal training and little experience," the Advisor said before turning back to the Himes. "For you, defeat means almost certain death, and that you've managed to make it this far is, in and of itself, a significant accomplishment."

"We didn't choose to be Himes," Yukino the Hime said. "We largely do what we can to survive and protect the people we cherish, hoping someday the fighting will end and we will return to our normal lives. If that means honing our fighting skills and becoming more resolute, then that is what we must do."

"Few choose the 'special' circumstances that are thrust upon them," the Advisor said. "The Otomes you fought alongside recently went through some troubled times of their own, including war, betrayal and buried secrets coming to light. Not everyone survived that conflict, and even the survivors did not emerge unscarred."

A somber mood descended on the Otomes, especially Arika. One of her friends had perished in the conflict, another was forced into exile, and her search for her mother led to her learning the tragic truth behind her fate.

"And yet, that conflict required individuals like Arika to rise to the occasion and change their own selves to bring about a good resolution. Queen Mashiro was once a spoiled child unfit to rule, and now, she's matured and become more prepared for the decision, including the difficult decisions that come with her position. She's similar to you in that she never chose to be a princess, but ultimately chose to grow into that responsibility."

"Maybe that's so," Queen Mashiro said. "But my decisions early on caused suffering for a lot of people, to the point where people were hated just for standing behind me." She then turned to the Himes. "Your decisions might be ones forced on you, and there might be fewer people watching or judging you, but you're still responsible for the consequences of your own actions, whether they involve merely a few people or the entire world. However, from what I've seen today, you seem to have what it takes to make the right choices without needing to endure as many painful lessons as I did."

"Exactly," the Advisor said. "More struggles will await you, but you have the capacity to become individuals who can prevail. Through those times, I will watch over you and your progress."

After the Otomes and those who came with them stepped through the portal, it closed, leaving the two worlds to once again be separated.

* * *

The next day, as the students remained in hiding from the attack on Fuuka Academy and the student council held an all-day meeting to discuss what to do, Mai saw her brother off as he and Akira prepared to board the ship that would carry them to America, where Takumi would have the heart surgery Mai had always hoped to get him.

"_This is what I, no, we, have been hoping for ever since that day,"_ Mai thought. Whatever doubts, hesitations or guilt she might feel, she knew that this was the fundamental truth at the heart of the matter.

"Take care of yourselves over there, and be sure to call me if you have any problems," Mai said.

"We will," Takumi said. He paused as he contemplated what this meant for him. For the first time, he was parting ways with Mai, for an operation he hoped would one day enable him to live on his own. He felt some trepidation as most do when taking a large unprecedented step, but also realized he would miss his sister while he was gone.

"Onee-chan," Takumi began. "I have been thinking lately about what I said to you that time, and I would like to apologize. I'm still certain this- both the heart surgery and my learning to live on my own- is what I need, but I should have considered your feelings more instead of acting like I wanted to push you away. The simple truth of the matter is, I love you, I'm grateful for everything you've done for me and I want you to be happy. I'd like to carve my own path in life without having you to worry about me, and for you to be able to go down yours. I never blamed you for how things turned out all those years ago"

Mai then embraced Takumi, smiling through the tears that began to run down her face.

"Thank you, Takumi." Mai said. "Just promise your sister you'll take care of yourself."

"I will," Takumi said. "I love you, Onee-chan,"

"I love you, too, Takumi."

As Takumi and Akira boarded the ship and it departed, Mai felt less doubt than she expected. The operation was a risk, but it was also a risk Takumi was willing to take, and his and Akira's departures ensured his fate was no longer tied to the Carnival. Perhaps Mai could have used Akira's help, but there was the chance that the SUEs' powers or circumstances would have turned her into an enemy, and Akira was leaving a conflict she had no stake in to help the one she cared about most.

Mai knew that tomorrow would bring more battles, but quietly rejoiced at her brother's departing to safety and toward the long-desired operation.

* * *

**Author's Note**

Shizuru Viola and Natsuki Kruger are referring to a Drama CD track for Mai Otome. In it, as Shizuru and Natsuki point out, Shizuru asked Natsuki to become her room attendant, but Natsuki, despite having sought the position for some time, refused, and became disillusioned with Shizuru. Shizuru fell into a depression and Haruka noticced it and decided to, on Yukino's advice, try to claim Natsuki as her room attendant. Shizuru protested Haruka's decision, and Haruka challenged Shizuru to a butou match over Natsuki, with the winner getting her as an attendant. Meanwhile, Mai spoke with Natsuki about Shizuru and caused her to realize that she never tried to get to know the real Shizuru, prompting Natsuki to approach Shizuru, asking her to make her a room attendant. Shizuru apparently defeated Haruka in the following butou match, winning Natsuki as her room attendant.

It isn't quite explicitly stated that Corals can refuse Pearls' offers to make them their room attendants, but Natsuki did so in the aforementioned track, and Shiho implies in the second episode that she's spiraling Nina in order to get revenge on her for refusing her (in favor of Nao, no less).

In the eighth special of Mai-Otome, the truth behind Mai's disappearance is revealed. Instead of vanishing while trying to choose between love and becoming one of the Five Columns, she was trying to choose between being an Otome for her host family and becoming one of the Columns. She took a walk in order to come to a decision, but fell into one of Mikoto's traps and watched as Mikoto swallowed her GEM.

The conclusion to Takumi's subplot was largely based off of, as I said before, might what have happened if Takumi had lived long enough to go to America. Akira may seem to be getting shortchanged on time, but this is partly the result of her being the second loser of the Carnival; while almost half the show passes between Akane's defeat and Akira's, Akira only has two fight scenes, and while she has a fair amount of character development, she hardly interacts with anyone except Takumi and losing Gennai essentially is the end of her participation in the plot. As such, it seemed fitting that she would simply go with Takumi if given the choice, given that he had become more important to her than her mission.

As a teaser, while the chapters thus far have explored what has changed from canon with the presence of the SUEs, the chapters to come will also take a look at what _does not_ change.


	17. An Old Friend

**Chapter 17: An Old Friend  
**

A girl slipped into the Student Council room and quickly found Shizuru's laptop. She entered the password she had been provided, "Konjyaku", and began to make the necessary modifications to the school records. The task took less than five minutes, and she quickly put the laptop back where it had been, after logging off and wiping off any fingerprints.

She had completed the first phase of her plan- eliminating all known ways she could be found out. Now it was time for the second phase. A flash of light blanketed the entire campus; now no one would be able to tell the difference. She then mentally contacted the Usurper.

"_It's done,_" she said. _"No one suspects anything."_

"_Good." _the Usurper replied. _"Too many of the SUEs have failed thus far. Ensure that the Himes do not become aware of your plans and you will win."_

The Usurper felt confident in his chances at winning. The SUEs had failed many times in the past, but with one victory, none of the SUEs' past defeats would matter. This time, if all went well, he would not have to win the battle against the Himes, because the contest would be resolved without a battle taking place.

* * *

Natsuki walked to campus in a daze, running somewhat late to the assembly that would surely announce the closure of Fuuka Academy. She had only a limited amount of sleep, and most of the time, she had not slept soundly- how could she after what she had learned the night before? The agent of the remaining Searrs Foundation, John Smith, had shattered the perceptions she'd possessed about her mother, telling her that she had not betrayed the First District to protect Natsuki, but to sell her to the Searrs Foundation. A multitude of questions flashed through Natsuki's head.

Who was her mother, really? Was she the woman who raised her and gave her life in an attempt to save her? Or was she just as selfish as he was?

What would Smith have to gain by lying? Was he merely trying to break her resolve?

And who could she trust now?

Natsuki then saw Mai walking to school with Mikoto and two other students in high school uniforms. One had short blonde hair, while the other had medium-length red hair.

"Good morning, Natsuki!" Mai said.

"Morning!" Mikoto said enthusiastically.

"Good morning, Mai, Mikoto," Natsuki said. She then looked over to the other students.

"Good morning, Kuga-san, it's nice to see you again," the redhead said.

"Likewise," the blonde said.

Natsuki stared, dumbfounded, for a moment, before speaking. Their mode of address was too formal for Natsuki to take them to task for assuming familiarity, but Natsuki had not seen them before.

"Wait… who are you?" Natsuki said, puzzled.

"Honestly, Natsuki, you don't remember Bachiko and Meiko? You hung out with those two all the time after you met me!"

"Sorry, I don't think I met any of your friends that I didn't already know apart from Senou and Harada, and I've been at Fuuka Academy for years," Natsuki said. "Mikoto, what about you?"

"Mai's friends are my friends!" Mikoto said. "I've also known those two for a while, but not as long as Mai; she's known Bachiko even before coming to Fuuka."

"_But Mai never even mentioned them before,"_ Natsuki thought. _"Either my memory's been altered… or it's the only one that has not been."_

"Bachiko moved to Fuuka about seven years ago," Meiko, the redhead, said, pointing at the blonde. "She and I have been friends ever since she first arrived. And then, earlier this year, we met Mai, one of her old friends. Mai and Bachiko reconnected quite nicely, and I've become friends with her as well. Surely you remember us as well, Kuga-san, even if we're not as close."

Natsuki then blushed, realizing that the only answer she could give without drawing suspicion to herself was one that was not honest. But why had she never met either of them in the years she had attended Fuuka Academy?

"S-sorry, Moriya, I'm not good with names and faces," Natsuki said to Meiko. "It's good to see you again. You too, Senboname."

"Did something happen last night, Natsuki?" Mai asked. "You don't seem to have slept well, and you look a little… out of it."

"It's nothing, I'm fine," Natsuki lied, then leaned in close and whispered to Mai. "But we _do_ need to talk, Mai, about these 'friends' of yours."

As they headed toward the academy, Meiko could not help but wonder about Natsuki.

"_Why doesn't she remember us?"_ she thought.

* * *

During the assembly, in which Shizuru advised everyone that the school was closed until further notice, Natsuki secretly slipped a text message to Mai, hoping she had spelled Bachiko's odd family name correctly.

_NKuga: Get somewhere Senboname and Moriya can't see you; we need to talk about them._

A few minutes later, as students filed out of the assembly, Mai got off to the side.

_MTokiha: What do you want to know?_

_NKuga: Did you write about them at all in your diary? Look when they're not watching you._

Natsuki and Mai checked and saw Bachiko and Meiko talking pleasantly with Yukino and Mikoto. Bachiko and Meiko had supposedly gone to school with Yukino for some time, far longer than Mai had known any of her current friends. Mai then quickly flipped through her diary, to the section on her past. She expected that if Bachiko were her close friend, she would have mentioned her a few times, and even if Meiko had been someone she met more recently, she would have mentioned her.

But while Mai found entire entries about Yuuichi, her friends and even some discussion on her mere acquaintances, she found no mention of Bachiko or Meiko.

_MTokiha: None. I listed as many friends as I could from before Fuuka, but I've lost touch with all of them._

After a brief pause, Mai sent another message.

_MTokiha: But Mikoto seems to remember them, too._

_NKuga: I suspect we're dealing with a SUE with the power to influence memories. Both of them are suspects, although I'm leaning toward Senboname._

_MTokiha: If that's the case, what do you think sets you apart from the others?  
_

_NKuga: I wasn't on campus last night. I had a meeting with a contact._

_MTokiha: Did they not consider how many were cutting class and leaving campus?  
_

_NKuga; Maybe they didn't think any of those people would come back. We'll have to look into this more, since if either or both of those two are SUEs, they haven't engaged us in combat yet, unlike the others._

_MTokiha: By the way, what did your contact tell you? Is it relevant to our situation?  
_

_NKuga: He introduced me to a man from Searrs who seemed to be looking for Miyu's remains; with luck, he won't find them. But he didn't say anything about the SUEs. They're the problem right now._

* * *

Mai, walking on the Fuuka campus, sifted through her memories, jarred by realizing the possibility that not everything she remembered was true. So far, all her friends at the school knew Bachiko and Meiko. But what about Shiho? Mai had been unable to face her since Yuuichi had announced his love for Mai in Shiho's presence, and she was hospitalized after the Searrs attack. But Mai suspected that if Shiho did not remember Bachiko or Meiko, Natsuki would be one step closer to proving her theory correct.

"Yuuichi, I have a question to ask of you," Mai said, approaching him.

"What is it, Mai?" he said.

"Does Shiho-chan know Bachiko and Meiko?"

"I certainly remember those two hanging out with you all the time. I don't see why Shiho wouldn't, since we met you about the same time."

"She's been in the hospital ever since the Searrs arrived," Mai said. "Natsuki wasn't on campus last night, and doesn't know anything about those two."

At that moment, a small bee landed on Yuuichi's cheek and stung him. He yelped slightly and slapped his cheek, causing the wasp to fall to the grass, out of sight. Mai and Yuuichi would have had to search diligently to find it… if it had not immediately disintegrated upon landing.

"Anyway, what's with the interest in Shiho now, Tokiha?" Yuuichi said, his voice now filled with anger and paranoia. "Are you trying to steal me away from her?"

"No," Mai said, taken aback. "I was concerned about whether…"

"Whether she has an interest in me? You're not even in her league! Now I've missed enough time visiting her because of you!" Yuuichi then stormed off.

Mai stood there, stunned. A few weeks ago, she would have dismissed it as a natural phenomenon. Even knowing about the Himes, she had no idea of the limits of their power, much less the existence of the SUEs. Furthermore, her early relationship with Yuuichi had been marked by almost constant fighting and mutual hostility, and one of them getting angry and starting a fight was in no way unexpected or surprising.

But now, her understanding had expanded in many ways. She knew about the powers of the SUEs, who could do the impossible, including making people not act like themselves. But she also knew Yuuichi better than she once did. In spite of their fights, trust and affection had grown between them, and she saw him as a person who did his best to care for those closest to him, torn over how to treat his oldest friend who wished for him to treat her as more than a friend. Mai refused to accept that Yuuichi would, in the space of seconds, revert to- or even past- his previous relationship with her, as though all their past conversations had meant nothing.

One thing was clear to Mai, albeit a very minor observation. She would not get any more information out of him, and there was no way to determine whether Bachiko and Meiko were SUEs or merely planted- as spies, patsies or something else- by another SUE. This was most frustrating at all; attacking prematurely would likely cost them time and the element of surprise at best, and the longer they waited before figuring out the SUE's identity, the more time she had to prepare.

As Mai walked out, she happened upon Ishigami, who happened to be walking in the area.

"Hello,Mai-kun," Ishigami said.

"Good morning, Ishigami-sensei," Mai said, as the two came to a stop.

"I understand that your brother and Okuzaki-kun have left, already, have they not? Okuzaki-kun told me the day before yesterday that he was taking a leave of absence."

"Yes, to America for Takumi's surgery."

"That's wonderful to hear. Please send them my regards and tell Okuzaki-kun that I look forward to having him in the club again; I hope the school reopens by the time he gets back."

As Ishigami left in the direction Mai had come, Mai reflected on how the almost invisible war between the Himes and the SUEs would seem to a person oblivious to all this conflict. Their daily lives had the same stability as the ice on a frozen-over pond, a façade that was easily shattered given enough pressure, and the last invasion had brought it to the breaking point. Perhaps they would in time write off this as something ordinary, but those who had been harmed by the conflict would not forget so easily, although they would never understand why it had happened to them.

Now Mai's enemy was one who could hide as well from her as from everyone else. Somehow, she had to find a way to locate whoever was responsible and find out what this person was planning if she hoped to do more than react to unexpected changes.

* * *

"It seems Senboname-san and Moriya-san have, in fact, attended this academy all along," Shizuru said of Bachiko and Meiko, while looking through her laptop in the student council room. "On the other hand, Senboname-san's name not only sounds very unusual, but is completely written in romanji text. She doesn't seem to be foreign if she's lived with Tokiha-san, whose records indicate she is a native of Japan, since childhood, but that only makes her more suspicious."

"Maybe they doctored the records to make it seem like they were always here," Natsuki said, "although, if I recall correctly, Suou transferred in. There's something suspicious about those two- the fact that I seem to be the only one who doesn't know them indicates something- and I want some evidence in order to find out more and stop whatever they're planning before they strike."

"It's possible that the real SUE wants us to suspect them instead of her," Shizuru said. "And regarding your point, I also have to wonder why I didn't notice how odd Senboname-san's name was earlier, if she was indeed here all along."

"Possibly," Natsuki said, getting up to leave. "I'll look for more evidence on those two, you look for a third person who might be a SUE."

"I will," Shizuru said. 'I hope to see you later, Natsuki,"

"Likewise," Natsuki said, then saw Takeda Masashi, who had long harbored a crush on her, walking into the office.

"Oh, hello, Kuga," Takeda said.

"Takeda, what is it this time?" Natsuki said irritatedly. Dealing with him was near the bottom of her list of priorities even before she became a Hime. Now that she was fighting the SUEs, previously vital priorities like dealing with the First District became secondary, and trivial things like dealing with him became mere annoyances. Takeda then produced a small envelope from his uniform pocket.

"I'm not sure if I'll ever see you again after the school closes, so I'd like to give you this."

Natsuki opened the envelope, and found a hand-written letter, a brief statement by Takeda on his love for her. She then looked up to look Takeda in the eye, took a deep breath and spoke calmly.

"Takeda…" Natsuki said. "I simply don't see you in the same way. There's someone else I'm interested in." She then paused and offered a belated, "I'm sorry," almost as an afterthought.

"Oh…" Takeda said, dejected, then adding "Tell the other guy I wish him the best of luck," before walking off, leaving Natsuki unable to say anything in response.

"That was remarkably tactful of you, Natsuki," Shizuru said after Takeda had left.

"It was a somewhat difficult balancing act," Natsuki said. "If I was any nicer, he'd have thought he still had a chance. But If I was as rude as I typically was to him, he'd have thought I was playing hard-to-get. Hopefully this will get it through his thick skull that I'm not interested in him- or boys in general for that matter- and the end of the world isn't going to change that."

Shizuru smiled at what Natsuki had said. A thought passed through her head- what if she was that special someone Natsuki had spoken of? Natsuki had enough on her mind at the moment, but Shizuru resolved that once this SUE was dealt with, she would tell Natsuki what she felt about her. By then, she would understand her own feelings enough. By then, she would have the words to tell Natsuki what she meant to her, without Natsuki mistaking it for something that the SUE had induced her to say or forgetting it later. And at that time, she would know that Natsuki's decision to accept or reject her was what was in her heart, rather than any artificially implanted emotion.

Natsuki said her goodbyes to Shizuru and took a few steps into the hall before accidentally bumping into Nao.

"I'm terribly sorry, are you all right, Kuga-san?" Nao said.

"I'm fine, it's just…" Natsuki began before trailing off as she processed Nao's statement, and saw her bowing to her. "Wait a minute, Nao, since when are you so polite with me, especially using honorifics like that? Is this some kind of practical joke?"

"There is little I am more serious about than showing respect to my elders, Kuga-san," Nao said. "Especially when it's you. I may have been very rude to you in the past, but I am striving to improve my behavior."

Natsuki noticed a red mark on Nao's right hand, almost like a bee sting. She had long since realized something was amiss, and decided to play along to find out more.

"Is your hand all right, Nao?" Natsuki asked. "You have a red lump on it."

"Thank you for your concern but please do not worry, Kuga-san," Nao said, blushing. "It's only a bee sting."

Mai then came up on Nao and Natsuki.

"Hi, Mai" Natsuki said

"Good morning, Tokiha-san," Nao said, bowing.

"Hi Natsuki, Nao-chan," Mai said, hesitating to ask about Nao's sudden politeness. "Um, Nao-chan, that mark on your hand, might it be a bee sting, by any chance?"

Natsuki's face paled in shock at Mai's immediate and correct guess. Clearly Mai was on to something.

"Yes, it is, Tokiha-san," Nao said. "Please do not worry, it is not serious."

"You'll have to excuse me, Nao," Natsuki said after composing herself. "I was hoping to meet up with Mai to talk about something. Let's go, Mai."

Mai's face briefly had a confused expression on it before she realized what Natsuki had just discovered.

"I'll be going then," Mai said. "See you later, Nao-chan."

"Take care, Tokiha-san, Kuga-san," Nao said, bowing.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Mai broke the silence.

"Nao-chan's been brainwashed too?" she said.

"It's obvious that she's not herself," Natsuki said, "But how do you know this?"

"I was talking with Yuuichi earlier. In the middle of a conversation, a bee stung him and he immediately turned hostile, accused me of getting between him and Shiho-chan and stormed off, which also doesn't seem like him. And Nao-chan says something like that happened to her, so I have to wonder."

"So if you're correct, we now have the method by which our SUE affects her victims," Natsuki said. "But if this is the case, then it seems somewhat impractical to sting the entire campus- judging from the assembly this morning, there are at least a few hundred students and faculty left, although that number will probably be a few dozen or less by the end of the day. It would take a long time, and people would notice."

"Essentially, we know more about the SUE's methods, but we can't see _who_ is carrying them out, or from where," Mai said. "Bachiko is the primary suspect right now, but we're not sure whether she has an accomplice... or whether it's actually someone else using her as a decoy."

The two fell silent; disquieted at the recent turn the battle against the SUEs had taken. Their enemy was able to strike from anywhere in almost any way, avoiding detection and covering her tracks while changing people as she saw fit.

No one was safe. No one could be completely trusted.

* * *

**Author's Note**:Thank you for the reviews.

By now, when considering past events, it should be obvious at first glance to the readers, as well as the characters, that a SUE is at play here, so I decided not to make it that much of a surprise. What is less clear is how and why she is deceiving the student body, so the next few chapters will be devoted to finding out her methods and plans, and stopping her. Natsuki's inability to remember not only kicks off the investigation, but also is meant to represent a typical reaction to this situation from a more objective, yet insider, standpoint.

Mai-Hime has a somewhat vague timeline, in that it's hard to determine when exactly events happened or how long passes between them (contrast Death Note, in which Volume 13 gives dates for most of the specific events, such as character deaths), hence my vague reference to how long had passed since Mai's arrival. It's also possible that Takumi's going to America happens somewhat later than it would have in canon, but I essentially had to write it to that point because that's when it best fit into the plot.


	18. Betrayal

**Chapter 18: Betrayal**

Yukariko sat in Ishigami's office, unwilling to believe what she was hearing. Ishigami had, by seeing Yuuichi's sudden personality change from a distance, deduced the existence of a SUE at the school, and connected it to two students mysteriously being known to everyone on campus. He had also realized that this was only to those on campus at the time, as he was off campus while meeting with a fellow First District contact.

But now, instead of telling her to pass on this information to the other Himes so that they could eliminate the threat, he was telling her to let the event run its course, and do what she could to ensure that she made it out alive.

"Wh-what are you saying, Wataru-san?!" she said incredulously.

"I am saying that an opportunity has presented itself to set the Himes against each other and get this Carnival back on track in a way that ensures your survival and mine."

"You mean I should betray everyone else?"

"You already have, Yukariko. You did the moment you decided to frame Yuuki-kun for attacking you. It may have failed and you may have avoided responsibility, but you showed that you wished to survive the Carnival alone with me rather than trust your fate to everyone else. Your God knows this; that's why He is not responding to your prayers intended to ease your conscience. And once it comes out what you've done, the rest of the Himes will never trust you again. The die is cast, as they say; you will make it to the end of the Carnival with me or you will never make it at all."

Yukariko's resistance faltered and she resigned herself to what she knew lay before her. As he said, the only outcomes were to ensure his victory or die, and the choice was clear.

"So… what do you want me to do?"

"Make a phone call and arrange a meeting with…"

* * *

Nagi smirked as he realized that for once, the SUEs were working in his favor. Before, most of them had chosen to deliberately antagonize the Himes or pursue their own agendas, leaving the Himes to face a common threat, rather than each other. Indeed, most of their goals were unacceptable to the Himes, especially those of the SUEs who had sought to kill all the Himes. But now the SUEs had the potential to sow seeds of distrust among the Himes, and if the Himes did not know who was brainwashed and could not trust their memories, the trust between them would erode, and they would begin eliminating each other once again.

Nagi then prepared a text message to send to one Hime who had caught his interest. He knew what her main stake in the Carnival was, and by simply pushing the right buttons, he could use her to great effect in cutting down the Himes.

* * *

Mai stood with Meiko in the pavilion in the school gardens. This meeting would confirm her suspicions once and for all about whether Bachiko, and possibly Meiko, were SUEs. A part of her deeply hoped that one of her oldest friends, as well as a relatively new one, had not been deceiving her all along. But another realized that if they were SUEs, Bachiko and/or Meiko were counting on this lingering and possibly induced attachment, as well as the denial that is in human nature, to keep her from the truth. And as many of her acquaintances and friends had turned out to be Himes, and some, such as Alyssa and Miyu, later became her enemies, Mai knew she could no longer afford to unquestioningly trust her friends.

"Do you remember the SUEs that came to this school?" Mai asked Meiko

"I remember you saying you and the others were Himes, Mai, but I don't remember any SUEs of any sort," Meiko said.

"Some people around the campus are acting rather oddly. Has Bachiko been different from usual?"

"Why ask me?" Meiko said evasively. "I thought you'd know Bachiko quite well, seeing as you met her before I did."

"Maybe I don't." Mai said. "My memories of the past seem off. It's as if a photograph being altered to include her; it can look like the real thing, but there are small traces of editing that become large ones if it's done amateurishly; she seems to have followed me everywhere before she moved to Fuuka and after I did, but no proof of her existence remains. And speaking of photographs, I don't have a single picture with her at all. So who is she, really?"

Meiko's expression suddenly darkened, as a feeling of dread overwhelmed her.

They had been found out.

"It seems you've noticed quite a bit, Mai- I'm sorry, perhaps I should not be so familiar with someone I have so recently met, Tokiha-san," Meiko said. "You've only met me- and even Bachiko- this morning."

"Then you're..."

"Bachiko is indeed a SUE, as you suspect, but so am I. It would be best for all of us if you no longer investigated our affairs; although I suppose this warning will soon be pointless."

Meiko drew out her Element, an open diary with a lock, and quickly scribbled some notes with a magical quill pen. In a flash of green light, Mai's memory was altered; she no longer remembered what she had said in the conversation or even her reasons for suspecting Bachiko and Meiko.

"I have to go," Mai said. "I'm running late for meeting Chie-chan and Aoi-chan. It's been nice talking with you, Meiko!" she said, before running off.

* * *

Yukino watched with Diana from a classroom as Mai ran off, with Meiko running in the other direction. She would soon have to track down Meiko, but she decided that she would first need to gather everyone together before they struck.

Natsuki, who was watching with Yukino, turned to her, having stepped away after receiving a call on her cell phone.

"Yukino, I've got a call from Sister," Natsuki said. "She says she's found something out about the SUEs, and she wants me to come over,"

"Please go get her, Kuga-san," Yukino said. "I'll call Sugiura-sensei and get everyone together. If we have two SUEs together, we'll have to bring everyone together to bring them down. If they can manipulate us, we need to prepare so that we won't get taken by surprise or caught alone."

* * *

Meiko met up with Bachiko, who ushered her into another abandoned classroom.

"Has Kuga Natsuki been taken care of?" Bachiko asked.

"I'm still trying to find her," Meiko said. "Tokiha Mai-san expressed suspicion of you being a SUE, but I erased her memories of the conversation and all of her suspicion."

"Are you sure you had to go that far?" Bachiko asked.

"Yes," Meiko said. "We only agreed to use our powers on people who threatened our mission; your powers can be unpredictable in how people react, so we wanted to keep the impact to a minimum. That's why I didn't remove Tokiha-san's memories of Tate-kun; we can't be certain how she'll react if she no longer cares about him, but with time, she should accept Mikoto-chan's feelings and fall in love with her."

Bachiko sighed and hoped Meiko had done enough. She had abandoned some of her plans that were too ambitious, such as posing as Mai's cousin, because Meiko had insisted that they were not worth the risk. Bachiko favored great rather than subtle changes to Nao and Yuuichi's personalities, fearful that changing them too little would not have the desired effect.

"I suppose you're right, but I can't help but wonder if we should have been more aggressive in using our powers if we were going to be found out with only this much," Bachiko said. "Perhaps doing so would have prevented them from becoming suspicious in the first place."

"We will be able to win if we're able to get through and modify the Himes' relationships without being detected as SUEs, but if word gets out about who we are and what we can do, the rest of the Himes will not stop until we are defeated," Meiko said. "And then, the only way to survive will be to defeat all of them."

"I suppose that is true, but while remaining incognito is important, we also have to accomplish our goals while doing so," Bachiko said. "Which is what we want, isn't it?"

"It is," Meiko said. "We do have our plans to readjust student relationships. But one relationship that I hope never gets adjusted or threatened by this is ours."

The two warmly smiled at each other, but before long, their smiles gave way to doubtful expressions. The two had always remembered being a couple, but something seemed oddly perfect about their relationship. They never had any arguments that were more than civil disagreements, and found it difficult to describe the reasons behind their attractions to one another.

Bachiko, aware of Meiko's powers of memory manipulation, realized that essentially, memories were like a journal of one's life. They could convey what happened in the past, but only from the writer's point of view, and thus could be subject to omissions, inaccurate interpretations and even outright lies, all of which the writer could do knowingly or unconsciously. She had vague memories of a past with Meiko, and Meiiko remembered her time with her, was it all entirely designed to make her accept Meiko as a friend the way Meiko had done to the campus and Mai in particular?

Meiko also realized that Bachiko's bee stings enabled the user's personalities and emotional responses to things to change. A man could be induced to hate his beloved wife, an ill-tempered person could be turned into a calm and tranquil one, and a woman could become passionately interested in something she had never heard of before. She thus realized that her feelings for Bachiko could easily be spun out of thin air- perhaps Bachiko wanted to ensure that she would never leave her. Perhaps she wanted to accept Bachiko, and allowed her emotions to be rewritten, rewriting her own memory so that they would be indistinguishable from the truth.

Could Bachiko and Meiko trust their feelings for one another? And if they could not, then what else in their life was real?

Suddenly, Bachiko and Meiko's phones each received a text message.

_Your identities have been compromised. You must now eliminate the remaining Himes in order to win._

The two gasped in dismay and looked at each other.

"How did this happen?" Meiko asked. "Did someone see us using our powers?"

"We should still have an advantage," Bachiko said as she sent a bee forward. "I've taken a step toward crippling our enemy. Once they're fighting each other, I think 'he' will count it as a victory all the same"

* * *

Yukino, having tried and failed to reach Midori on her office phone, listened to the dial tone as she tried Midori's cell phone. Finally, the dial tone ended and she reached her voice mail.

"You have reached the voice mail box of… Sugiura Midori… Record your message at the tone," a calm, professional female voice said, before briefly dipping into Midori's usual tone.

"Sugiura-sensei, we have learned that there are not one, but two, SUEs active. Senboname Bachiko-chan and Moriya Meiko-chan. They have the power to alter people's personalities and memories. Please call back as soon as you can."

Yukino then realized it was now up to her to bring the rest of the team together. Natsuki was off meeting with Yukariko, and she assumed Mai would likely be back soon, so only Shizuru and Nao remained. She then placed a call to Mikoto.

"Hi," Mikoto said.

"Mikoto-chan, this is Yukino," Yukino said. "Mai-chan seems to have run off to somewhere after her meeting with Bachiko-chan and Meiko-chan; could you find her for me, please?"

"She's not with Bachiko and Meiko?" Mikoto said.

"No- it turns out they're SUEs with the power to rewrite emotions and memories, including both of ours. The truth is, you most likely only met them today."

An uneasy feeling came over Mikoto, as she realized the truth about two people she had thought were her friends just as much as Mai was. If her heart was manipulated to accept the friendship of someone she did not know, how could she trust her feelings or her memories? But one thing was clear to her; she had to protect Mai, from those two or anyone else.

* * *

Elsewhere, Midori slouched placidly in her office chair, looking on with rapt attention at her cell phone as it rang, as if it were something unfamiliar, until it displayed a "New Voicemail" message. While Midori often acted as though she were 17 years old or younger, people would notice that she now apparently had the mentality of a 17 _month _old if she had not put up a "Do Not Disturb" sign on her office.

Midori's being reduced to an almost mindless state prevented her from sharing her latest discovery with her students; each time a Hime was defeated, a pillar was erected, with the remaining "winner" being used to become the Obsidian Lord's wife.

As far as Midori knew, there was no distinction between real and artificial Himes, and between Himes and SUEs. And if this was true, then with seven pillars erected, the Carnival was nearing its conclusion.

* * *

Mai ran on alone, to a place on a grassy hill not far from the school where Aoi and Chie had supposedly told her to meet for lunch. The two were not there, prompting Mai to wonder whether she had been stood up, or if something was wrong with her memory. Her mind flashed back to her encounter with Meiko; she had never remembered the appointment until then. Could Meiko have had something to do with it?

Suddenly, the girl in a white kimono slowly approached Mai, looking left and right to confirm that she was alone.

"Finally, just the two of us…" she said ominously, and then removed her hood.

Mai gasped in shock, but her surprise faded as she realized how much her attacker's true identity meshed with past events, and just as soon realized her true motives.

Everything made sense now. In fact, she should have seen this coming.

"I should have known it was you… Shiho-chan."

* * *

Natsuki walked into the chapel and saw Yukariko praying.

"You wished to talk with me, Sister?" Natsuki said impatiently. "We have two SUEs out there to deal with, and if you know something, it would help tremendously."

"There is something you should know, Natsuki-san," Yukariko said, rising to her feet. "The attack on Nao-san earlier… it was a lie, one that I created with my powers."

Natsuki recoiled in horror. The worst possible scenario for the first incident since the Searrs takeover- that one of their own was a traitor- had come true. However, _Yukariko_ being the traitor was the possibility Natsuki considered least the least likely.

"But why?" Natsuki asked.

"The Hime Carnival is a survival game with only one winner. The moment I chose to betray you, to stir conflict between the Himes while remaining seemingly innocent, I chose to protect my life and that of my beloved above all others. I can no longer go back on that choice, but now must see it through to the bitter end."

"_This concludes our discussion," _Natsuki thought as Yukariko prepared to summon her Child. Yukariko was planning on playing by the First District rules, and while her defeat would further their agenda, it would be the only way Natsuki had of overcoming the First District.

"Duran!" Natsuki yelled. There was no response, not even her Elements manifesting.

"DURAN!" Natsuki shouted more loudly, once again in vain.

"Duran…?" Natsuki said in despair, as the situation dawned on her. Were Yukariko's powers similar to Shizune's or was it related to what had happened last night? In either case she stood now, as an ordinary human against a traitor with special powers.

"Oh, crap…" Natsuki said in a voice filled with dread as Yukariko's Child came forth. Her shock at being unable to access her Hime powers had caused her to hesitate, and this delay was long enough for Yukariko to strike, even as Natsuki's hand reached into her skirt.

"Please don't resist, Natsuki-san," Yukariko said as Vlas spread its wings. "Allow me to show you… a world where everything is as you wish it to be."

* * *

**Author's Note: **Thank you for the reviews.

madam claudia: I chose the M rating in large part because the story seemed to fall on the borderline between T and M, and given Hitomi's mind controlling an officer to commit mass murder in Chapter 3, I decided it was best to err on the side of caution, since the nature of the violence seemed somewhat closer to the Fanfiction description of an M rating.

But I would also like to make it clear that I appreciate feedback in the reviews, particularly when it is specific. I may not always incorporate it, but I do appreciate it and like hearing readers' thoughts. For example, I was initially worried that too detailed author's notes would essentially amount to me telling readers what to think, but after being asked to clarify things and adding a note to that effect, I appreciated hearing that the author's notes helped.

Bachiko and Meiko's powers are intended to represent characters having their personalities derailed or having certain canon events retconed out, as well as suddenly introducing new members to the main characters' groups of friends. Their goal is also intended to represent that of shippers who use the aforementioned tactics.

Natsuki's discovery that her mother was supposedly planning on selling her to the Searrs foundation causes her to temporarily lose her Hime powers.


	19. Last Temptation

**Chapter 19: Last Temptation**

"Natsuki-chan, it's time to wake up," a familiar voice came to Natsuki as she lay in her bed. Natsuki then opened her eyes and saw the last person she ever thought to see- her mother- standing before her. Her face tightened in shock. "Did you have a bad dream last night?" her mother continued.

"No, Mother…" Natsuki said as she slowly woke up.

Minutes later, as Natsuki put on her uniform, she walked downstairs. Duran, the dog who was the namesake of her Child, greeted her with a friendly bark, and then she noticed her father waiting for her.

"Good morning, Natsuki," he said.

"Good morning… Dad…" Natsuki said hesitantly. Her parents' marriage was lackluster, so when they sat at the table for a meal, an awkward silence was the best possible result. To see something like this transpiring was almost completely unbelievable to Natsuki. It was even more so now that her parents were seen in a new light; her father had abandoned her, and her mother had, according to the word of another, been planning to sell her to the Searrs Foundation before she had been killed by her former employers.

Were the parents before Natsuki her true parents, or the ones she wanted to believe existed?

The Kuga family ate breakfast, talking about trivial matters throughout the meal. But then Natsuki noticed a subject that was out of place.

"So, Natsuki-chan, you're going over to the Fujinos' house tonight, is that correct?"

"Yes," Natsuki said, concluding that the chance of it being a trick question to test her memory was less than the chance of her being seen as incredibly forgetful if she didn't know. Of course, as she remembered, she had met Shizuru long after her mother had died.

"And isn't your friend Yuuki-san coming as well?" Natsuki's mother asked. "She seems like such a nice girl, just like her mother; I'd like to have her over once."

"_Nao… nice?" _Natsuki wondered as she finished with breakfast, before remembering that Nao was able to show some civility to the faculty, authority figures and possibly most other adults in order to go about daily life without getting in trouble for rudeness. And then Natsuki also realized another thing. Mai had told her, urging her to keep it a secret. Nao's father was dead and her mother was comatose.

Clearly things were not as she remembered.

* * *

In the real world, inside the chapel, Ishigami looked on, as Yukariko had called him over to tell him that his task had been carried out. Natsuki, the one person most likely in his eyes to put a stop to the outbreak of violence, having not been in the targeted area when everyone else's memories were rewritten, had been neutralized. With her out of the way, the rest of the Himes would eliminate each other now that Bachiko and Meiko had moved from pairing the Himes with each other to trying to kill them. He would succeed where he had failed before, leaving Yukariko the only one left standing. The Hime Star would fall under her control, and with her under his control, he would have power greater than his First District superiors and the Obsidian Lord himself, enough to change the world as he saw fit.

* * *

Shizuru sat at her desk in the student council room, with Natsuki sitting next to her. Normally, Natsuki would visit her in the office to ask to use her laptop, but in this reality, her mother was alive, leaving her without her cause for her quest for vengeance against the First District. She was simply talking with her best friend… but she remembered that Shizuru was more than that to her. When her mother had died and her father had abandoned her, Natsuki swore to trust no one else ever again, but Shizuru kept reaching out to her time and again. Initially, it annoyed Natsuki, but over time, the fact that someone would do something like that for her warmed Natsuki's heart. In Shizuru, she saw a kind individual, one able to pierce her façade of stoicism with her wit, and determined to be there for Natsuki even if she didn't know everything about what Natsuki was facing.

Would they have become this close if this were not the case? Would they have met at all?

Suddenly, everything became clear to Natsuki.

"This is what I've wanted, huh?" Natsuki said.

"Natsuki?" Shizuru said, trying to figure out to what Natsuki's words were responding.

"My mother and dog are alive and my father's still with me. And yet here I am at Fuuka Academy- the result of the First District's plan and part of my revenge against them for my mother's death- along with everyone else I've met since then. The best of both worlds, I suppose?"

"Yes, don't you feel as though you gained things since your mother's death?" Shizuru said, suddenly echoing Natsuki's own inner thoughts, as well as what Natsuki imagined she would say. "Not all wounds to the heart fully heal, but at the same time, not all of that kind break you completely."

"Right," Natsuki said. "I suppose all those years ago, my first instinct would be, if I could, to turn back the clock and erase everything bad to me. But I've realized that sort of thing can't happen in reality, and whatever I'm experiencing now feels like a giant contradiction. Isn't that right, Mai? Nao?"

Mai and Nao stepped into the room.

"Damn right," Nao said. "I'll never forget what a couple of men did to my parents just for their own profit and convenience. When your eyes are opened to people's true natures, it's hard to go back to when the world seemed like a kind and gentle place."

"Can you really imagine how life would have gone, Natsuki?" Mai said. "Especially since for this scenario to go as you imagine, you would never have had to be a Hime."

"Perhaps this whole thing is just a fantasy of perfection that can never come true; I think I always knew this deep inside and sought revenge as a substitute for it," Natsuki said. "I realized when I went back in time that my experiences made me who I am today, including the tragedy for which I've sought revenge all this time. I learned that you can't deny or take back the past, however painful it is, and must accept and come to terms with the pain of loss while finding new things to cherish." She then turned to Shizuru. "The thing I actually want- the thing I can get, is…!"

The illusion shattered.

* * *

Yukariko gazed at what was happening in disbelief as Natsuki overcame her illusion. With Natsuki now free of the illusion, Ishigami's plan was now unlikely to succeed, and she could not stand alone against the other Himes and SUEs.

But Yukariko realized that even if it was too late to go back on her decision, and impossible to follow it through to the conclusion Ishigami desired, there was still one more thing she could do- something she should have done long ago.

"Vlas! No!" Yukariko said. Ishigami grappled with her in an attempt to stop her from interfering, and a candle fell off the altar, igniting a small fire. Nao then burst into the chapel, having seen St. Vlas.

"Kuga-san! There you are!" Nao said, running down the aisle and tackling Natsuki into the pews before Vlas' wings could close..

"Nao? What are you doing here?" Natsuki asked.

"I've been looking for you, since you left with Tokiha-san," Nao said. "What's going on? Why is Sister threatening you with her Child?"

"She tried to frame you for attacking her!" Natsuki said. "And now she's planning to spark infighting among the Himes now that the SUEs are manipulating us!"

"Kill them, Yukariko!" Ishigami said desperately, as the two grappled with each other, oblivious to the growing fire.

"NO!" Yukariko said. "I can't let you commit any more sins. Our path was a dark and evil one, and the only thing we can do is not walk it any longer. This is the only way I can show my love to you, what I should have done from the beginning." Yukariko drew her bow and readied an arrow.

"You're a fool, Yukariko!" Ishigami said. "If you fight for me, you'll survive and together, we'll control the world!"

"Is living truly the most important thing?" Yukariko said. "If our survival means sacrificing the lives of others and my own values… then I choose death!"

The flame from the candle had become a wall that spanned from wall to wall and cut off Nao and Natsuki from Yukariko and Ishigami.

"Please, you have to get out of here, Sister!" Nao shouted.

"Nao-san, please know that I am deeply sorry for deceiving you, and attempting to make Natsuki-san and the others believe you attacked me, " Yukariko said.

"Sister, please, I forgive you!" Nao yelled as Natsuki started to pull her away. "I just want you to live on!"

"Nao, we need to get out!" Natsuki said. "And so do you, Sister!"

"I've made many mistakes, Natsuki-san," Yukariko said. "I can't take them back, but I can do the right thing in the end."

Vlas' wings then closed as Nao and Natsuki reluctantly ran out of the burning chapel.

As the flames consumed the chapel, Yukariko looked in the direction of Nao and Natsuki retreating into the distance. Perhaps she would not have come to this point if she had made wiser decisions in the past, but at least this way, she and Ishigami would be the only victims of their deception. After walking a dark path for so long, she had finally broken free of it, if only at the end.

"_This is the only way it should end,"_ were Yukariko's final thoughts before the ceiling collapsed.

* * *

Elsewhere, while Natsuki was still ensnared in the illusion, Shiho confronted Mai.

"But I have one question- why?" Mai said.

"Onii-chan pays attention only to you. Somehow his personality changed, and today he seemed kinder to me than usual. But as usual, his mind was entirely on you, and he worried about how you'd react to what he said."

Mai was thrown off guard by Shiho's statement. Did it indicate that Yuuichi's brainwashing was less thorough than Bachiiko and Meiko had intended? Or was Shiho merely unable to accept the truth?

"But Yuuichi…" Mai began, "he said such cruel things to me… as though he no longer cared ab-"

"LIAR!" Shiho screamed. "He was upset that he'd hurt you! And you're now the only thing standing between us! Just… disappear!"

Shiho played on her flute, and the crow child appeared.

"Yatagarasu! KILL HER!" Shiho shouted. A yellow laser beam streaked toward Mai, who leaped into the air and flew to the right, dodging it.

Mai immediately understood what would happen should either win, but realized at the same time that Shiho would stop at nothing to see Mai defeated. Her only hope was to stall the battle for long enough that help could arrive. As she floated a story above the ground, she prepared a verbal counterattack.

"Don't you understand, Shiho-chan? If either of us loses, Yuuichi will die!"

"You're lying again!" Shiho said. "You've known him only a few months, you haven't even been there for him during the worst times! How could you possibly feel as strongly as I do about him?" Shiho's Yatagarasu fired a barrage of razor feathers at Mai, who blocked them with her shield. As Yatagarasu began to take to the air, Mai came to the conclusion that her only chance of survival lay in going on the offensive. Perhaps she could force Shiho to realize that she could not defeat her.

"Kagutsuchi!" Mai said, and her Child came forth to counter Shiho's.

"Your important person's probably your little brother as always! Shiho said after noticing Kagutsuchi. "You can't fool me!"

"That's not true!" Mai said. "And even if he were, Yuuichi wouldn't stand for you killing people for his affections- not Takumi and not me! You're not a murderer, Shiho-chan! And Yuuichi knows you're a kind person at heart! Why else would he have befriended you?"

Shiho hesitated, long enough to halt her assault and for a fireball from Kagutsuchi to land a few meters from her and knock her on her back. Shiho climbed to her feet, a furious glare in her eyes, as Yatagarasu spread its wings and charged at Kagutsuchi

"What makes you think you know Onii-chan better than I do? I'll never give him to you! I'll…"

Suddenly, a green vine burst from the ground and wrapped around Shiho, putting her in a sleeper hold, Shiho struggled but went limp after a few moments, and Yatagarasu and Shiho's flute faded.

"Mai-chan? Are you okay?" Yukino's voice called out to Mai as she emerged from a hiding spot some distance away.

"Yukino-chan! Is Shiho-chan alive?" Mai asked. Yukino felt her pulse.

"She's merely unconscious," Yukino said. "I'll have to get her back to the hospital somehow, both for her sake and to stop her from attacking you again."

"Thank you, Yukino-chan," Mai said. "I was trapped in an impossible situation; if either of us had lost, Yuuichi would have died." Mai then paused. "Wait, where's everyone else?"

Yukino got out Diana's mirrors before answering, beginning to scan the campus.

"For some reason, I was unable to reach Sugiura-sensei or President Fujino, although I called Mikoto-chan and told her where you were going. Kuga-san was looking for Sister, and…" She gasped in shock as she saw the chapel on fire.

"The chapel's burning! That's where Kuga-san and Sister were going to meet!" Yukino then scanned the vicinity.

"I found Kuga-san! But she's…!"

* * *

As Mai's fight with Shiho raged, Nao got out her cell phone, and started to dial emergency services, but Natsuki interjected.

"Nao, the fire department will never make it in time for Sister and Ishigami," Natsuki said resignedly.

"Did they really have to die, Kuga-san?" Nao said plaintively.

Natsuki pondered the question. Death was the consequence Yukariko accepted for her actions, but was it what she deserved? Perhaps she could have continued to live, so that she could assist in the coming battles and atone for her actions; from that perspective, death seemed to be the easy way out. But, in her final moments, she had followed her heart and found peace. Was it right to deny her that? Natsuki sighed, knowing that nothing she could think of to say would adequately answer the question.

"Natsuki, it's good to see you're safe," Shizuru said, walking over to Natsuki and Nao. Nao looked at Shizuru with a facial expression that questioned her being overlooked as politely as she felt she could.

"Shizuru! Have you heard anything about the SUEs just yet?'

"Nothing, unfortunately," Shizuru said.

"Fujino-san, we should go find the others first," Nao said. "Perhaps once everyone is together, we can formulate a strategy."

"You're remarkably polite, Yuuki-san," Shizuru said. "Unfortunately, I still remember the many times you wielded your sharp tongue against Natsuki in the past."

"I... I know I've been rude to Kuga-san in the past," Nao said. "But I'm trying to be polite and show respect now!"

"It hardly matters," Shizuru said. "I will not forgive those who stand against Natsuki, whoever they may be."

Shizuru then drew her Element.

"Stop, Shizuru, you're not acting like yourself!" Natsuki said.

As Shizuru assumed her typical pose, Natsuki noticed a red mark on her left wrist as it hoisted the back of her Element above her head.

"They stung her!" Natsuki said. "She's been brainwashed!"

"I have been stung by a bee today," Shizuru said, "but it did not brainwash me; it only freed me to act according to my desires. I love you, Natsuki, and to fulfill my desire for your happiness and love, I will make Yuuki-san pay."

Natsuki was overcome by a mixture of surprise and horror, barely comprehending what Shizuru had said, but realizing that she had no choice but to fight her.

"Duran!" Natsuki called out in vain. Within a moment, she realized that there was one option left in front of her to neutralize Shizuru without killing her. "Defend yourself, Nao, but don't kill Shizuru! If you kill her, I will die as well!"

"Yes, Kuga-san!" Nao said. "Julia!"

Julia came forth out of the ground, as Shizuru tried charging Nao. Nao quickly dived to the side as Shizuru tried to swing at her, then was forced to hastily block Shizuru's blade with her Element. Julia fired webs at Shizuru, forcing her to break off from Nao, who took the opportunity to put more distance between herself and Shizuru. Kiyohime's heads then turned towards Nao.

"Quickly Nao! Web Kiyohime!" Natsuki shouted.

Nao quickly complied, a stream of webbing at Kiyohime, binding its heads to each other. Shizuru, now realizing the threat Julia posed to her plans, charged Nao's Child, but Nao managed to wrap her Element's tendrils around Shizuru's blade, as Shizuru then tried to break Nao's hold by tugging on her weapon. Nao's energy tendrils strained under the pull, and she realized that if she faltered, she would be left defenseless against any attack Shizuru launched.

Natsuki knew Nao had not restrained Shizuru long enough to immobilize her, but she had created an opening. Natsuki then seized the opportunity and ran up behind Shizuru.

"I'm sorry, Shizuru!" Natsuki shouted, and then Shizuru turned around, a look of surprise on her face. Shizuru, brainwashed as she was, realized she had few options to stop Natsuki without severely injuring or killing her, and froze in hesitation. Natsuki, seizing upon this moment, immediately punched her in the face with all her might, knocking her unconscious, sending her crashing to the ground and causing Kiyohime to fade

Nao breathed a sigh of relief, but kept Julia out in case Shizuru recovered.

"Are you okay, Kuga-san?" Nao asked. Natsuki paused a moment, confirming that Shizuru was still alive, before answering.

"I'm still coming to grips with everything," Natsuki said. "Shizuru might have been brainwashed, but I should have realized how she felt about me all along. She's always been reaching out to me, even when I was reluctant to associate with her at fist. But if I haven't considered what I mean to her, does she even know how much she means to me?"

Suddenly, a bee floated by and stung Nao on the cheek. All of her prior brainwashing was removed by the new sting, which inserted a new set of commands. Nao's look of polite concern was replaced by a glare filled with murderous rage.

"Time to wrap things up here, Kuga," Nao said. "I just need to finish Fujino off and then I can get around to dealing with Tokiha."

Natsuki was taken aback by Nao's statement. Her reverting from her enforced polite, kind and peaceful persona to her rude, bitter and angry true self was shocking in and of itself, but something was off even for this change, apart from Nao being stung by a bee. Nao was threatening violence against people whom she had tolerated, if not exactly liked, without any provocation beyond Shizuru attacking her while similarly being brainwawshed. Whatever the reason may have been, Natsuki resolved to stop her.

"Nao, stand down now," Natsuki said. "Otherwise, I will have to stop you by force."

"Ha!" Nao scoffed derisively, "Are you protecting Fujino? You have no idea what she'll do to you once she wakes up! I learned long ago that you can't trust anyone!"

Natsuki immediately recognized Nao's statement as one she had said to herself again and again over the years. And yet, as time had gone by, she had slowly regained the ability to trust others, fightin g alongside her fellow Himes against the Orphans, the SUEs and Searrs. There was one person responsible for this change, one person lying on the ground whom Natsuki had to protect.

And Natsuki now once again had the resolve to do so.

"Besides, you can't do a damn thing to me without your Hime pow-"

Nao's statement was interrupted by a warning shot past her head. She realized, much to her shock, that Natsuki had regained her ability to summon her Element.

"Shizuru's a precious person to me!" Natsuki said. "I know she's not herself right now, so I must do what I can to protect her until she returns to normal! The truth is… I love her!"

"Love? What a joke!" Nao said. "Let's see how easily you abandon her to save yourself!"

"Duran!" Natsuki yelled. A large version of her Child, almost as large as the burned-out chapel, emerged. Natsuki had finally realized how she had felt about Shizuru, and was putting all her passion, power and skill toward protecting her.

Nao was taken off guard by the revelation that Natsuki was no longer helpless and, in fact, stronger than before, but quickly regained her composure, and glared with fierce resolve.

"Bring it on, you bitch!" Nao said defiantly.

* * *

"The president's fighting Nao-chan?" Mai said. "But why isn't Natsuki summoning her Element? She could force one side to stand down!"

"I don't know…" Yukino said. "Maybe she can't, like the time Otonashi-san placed the sigil on me. Or maybe she's afraid she'll kill one of them."

"Yukino-chan, get Shiho-chan back to the hospital, I'll head toward the chapel to see if I can stop this battle!"

"I understand," Yukino said. "If you encounter Meiko-chan, don't look at her light! It's how she wiped your memory earlier!"

"Wait, what do you mean…?"

"She and Bachiko-chan are the newest SUEs we are fighting. We think they have a hand in this."

Mai sighed. She was, as she was before, hesitant to believe those whom she had regarded as her friends were plotting against her, but like before, could not deny the possibility in light of her past experiences. And now Yukino had presented her with the answer behind the gap in her memory.

"I'll stop the fight and then we'll confront those two," Mai said.

Yukino nodded in confirmation before she and Mai ran off in opposite directions. Mai was about halfway to the chapel when she saw Bachiko and Meiko.

"Bachiko! Meiko!" Mai exclaimed.

"Perhaps I should have been more proactive, Tokiha-san," Meiko said. "I imagined you were a threat to our plans, but I underestimated how much you had learned about our secrets."

"The situation with Kuga Natsuki and the others should take care of itself shortly with my intervention," Bachiko said as a bee flew past them. Mai could have intercepted the bee with her flight powers, but two enemies stood in their way. "It may be too late to keep our secret, thus forcing us to take more drastic measures, but it is not too late to defeat all of you."

"What plans could you be talking about?" Mai said. "You've altered the personalities of several people around campus, and you've also disrupted my and Yuuichi's relationship!"

"We are providing a service to the students of Fuuka Academy," Meiko said. "We're helping students to find their ideal matches, as all too often, whether driven by mistaken perceptions about themselves or each other, hormones or shallow attractions, they choose the wrong person. We're trying to give all of you the happiness the two of us share. Please don't interfere."

"THAT'S your plan?" Mai said incredulously. "How petty can you be if you meddle in other people's relationships just because you think they could do better? And doesn't it defeat the point if you have to alter someone's personality so they fit the person you deem to be their soul mate?'

"If you are talking about illogical statements, perhaps you should consider your belief that the people whom we know cannot make their own decisions about love should have any say in the decisions we make for them," Bachiko said.

"That's something you decided on your own!" Mai said.

"The point is that we doubt you could understand anyway," Meiko said. "But while Tate-kun and you may be incompatible, the two of you will find true happiness together with Shiho-chan and Mikoto-chan, respectively. The same goes with Kuga-san and Yuuki-san."

"You may be able to alter our memories and how we feel, but you'll never be able to look inside our minds and hearts!" Mai said.

Mai immediately saw Bachiko sending a bee out, and blocked it with her Element, the Bee crashing into her shield as though it were striking by the windshield of a car.

"Suzumebachi!" Bachiko shouted, as a large queen bee about the size of a van appeared.

"Amenin!" Meiko shouted. A brain, looking as though it was carved out of reflective glass, about as large as Bachiko's Child, emerged from the ground.

"Kagutsuchi" Mai shouted, summoning forth her Child.

Kagutsuchi immediately fired a blast at Amenin, with Mai hoping to deprive Meiko of her powers, but it struck a reflective barrier and returned her way. Mai barely blocked the attack with her shield, and her vision was obscured by a wall of flames and smoke. As the smoke cleared from the blast, Mai found herself surrounded by bees, and noticed that more were coming out of Suzumebachi's body.

* * *

The fight between Natsuki and Nao continued,, with Natsuki rapidly firing her pistols at Nao. Nao deflected the bullets, but was slowly being forced backwards, away from Shizuru's unconscious body. Julia then spat forth a clump of webbing, straight into Duran's eyes. Nao then circled around, running away from the spot where Duran had last seen her, and motioning for Julia to follow her.

While Nao was at a disadvantage, Julia had managed to blind Duran, whose more powerful artillery Natsuki was reluctant to use for fear of killing Nao or her most important person. Julia then seized the opportunity to sneak behind Natsuki; Nao, standing in front of Natsuki, and almost backed into a tree, grinned as she realized the advantage would once again be hers.

Natsuki reflexively dove to her right as Julia's webs came forward. A glob of webbing struck Nao,who had quickly done an about-face to see it, hurling her backward and into the tree behind her.

"Dammit!" Nao cursed as she struggled to escape.

Natsuki realized that while one problem had been dealt with, another remained. She would have to figure out some way of neutralizing Julia, or else she and Shizuru would not be likely to escape alive.

* * *

Kagutsuchi fired yet another futile attack at Suzumebachi, hoping it would be out of Meiko's line of sight, but Amenin was still able to deflect her attack; her Child was able to see the attack. Three more bees flew into her shield, but they exploded on impact, knocking Mai through the air. Mai managed to renew her shield soon enough to shield her from a hail of stingers fired from some bees.

Mai realized that she was running out of time; fighting two SUEs at once alone was difficult enough, but was even more so with the realization that the fight at the chapel might end with one or more of the participants dead and another possibly trying to kill her.

Mikoto chanced upon the battle, remaining out of sight from Mai and the two SUEs. She had looked for Mai since Yukino's phone call, but once the fighting had started, was unable to locate her. She saw Mai struggling against her enemies, and concluded that without her intervention, Mai would soon be overwhelmed.

Kagutsuchi fired a blast of flame, scorching through a swarm of bees, and forcing Meiko to erect a large shield to prevent the attack from reaching Bachiko's Child. Meiko dedicated all her attention and energy toward stopping the attack, hoping that once it had been thwarted, Mai would be vulnerable.

At that moment, Mikoto's pendant glowed, and she leapt into the air, bringing down her sword on Amenin, cleaving the Child in half. She then ran forward as soon as she landed and, with a diagonal swing, cut through Suzumebachi's thorax.

"MEIKO!" Bachiko screamed as soon as she saw Suzumebachi burst into green flames.

"BACHIKO!" Meiko screamed in response to seeing Amenin's demise.

As the SUEs' powers faded, Mai quickly gasped in shock, as her false memories faded and the true ones returned. Suddenly, the "old friend" and the relatively new one who stood in front of Mai seemed like strangers again, but Mai remembered feeling as though she knew them from somewhere.

"Did I… know the two of you?" Mai asked. Bachiko shook her head.

"No, from the beginning, it's only been Meiko and myself," Bachiko said.

"And we've always been together since then," Meiko said with a bittersweet smile on her face.

As Meiko and Bachiko slowly disintegrated, they silently mourned the end of their time together. But in the end, whatever the reason was, when all the false memories and false feelings had disappeared, the final thoughts in both of their minds were of each other.

That was enough for them.

* * *

**Author's Note:** Thank you for the reviews.

Zen and Guest: In this chapter and the next, you will have your answer.

mr. 42: As far as I know, the Columns operate off a different system than the other Otomes, which is why they were unable to Materialize during Nagi's takeover of Windbloom until they broke into the system, and the system with Lena's body powering the Valkyries seemed to disable all Otomes. As for whether it would work through an otherworldly portal, I decided that it could, since there's no apparent distance limit to it (In Sifr, some of the Otomes fight on a space station, and Lena fights M-9 on the moon)

I am planning on releasing some bonus chapters after the conclusion of the main story that expand on the plot and provide some "what-if" situations, such as the SUEs being forced to work together. It will be revealed in the chapter covering the SUEs and Usurper that the Usurper was aware that the SUEs would not form a good team, motivating his decision to send them out one by one. Not only do their personalities and goals often clash (Shizune and Hitomi in particular would be despised by all the other SUEs), but some, such as Mariko, Toki and the Bachiko/Meiko pair do not need anyone else for their plans; one of Sekai's weaknesses is that if she can do almost literally anything once she acquires the ability from someone, she doesn't feel the need to team up with people, especially those weaker than she is. . There is also a reason why he only needs one SUE to accomplish her goal or defeat the Himes, which will be revealed later in the main story.

This turned out to be the longest chapter thus far, partly because there are four separate fight scenes in this one. You may notice that the individual fights in this fic are relatively short; this is partly a consequence of being based on Mai-Hime; as a 26-episode show, the fights typically don't last longer than a few minutes, and several of them are at least partly off screen.

As I pointed out a few chapters ago, in some cases in which things change compared to canon, other things may not, whether because none of the related circumstances were affected (Shiho's grudge against Mai stems from the incident in Episode 13), or others may not be enough to exact a change (Ishigami was forced to put his plans on hold, but Yukariko, despite her conscience, is still not strong enough to resist him until the end).

Part of the reason why I chose to have Natsuki and Nao in place of Mai and Yuuichi during the final confrontation with Yukariko was because they were they most directly affected by Yukariko and Ishigami's plan. Another part is because at the same time, Mai was confronting Shiho; in this "arc" of the story, many of the canon plotlines come to a head. Yet another is to see how Yukariko's illusion might play out with Natsuki trapped in it. The illusion itself, and the decision of the characters in it (Mai in the anime, Haruka in the manga, and Natsuki here) to reject it in favor of reality also worked well with the theme.

Since Shiho is not referring to a literal older brother, I decided to keep "Onii-chan" untranslated rather than "my brother" as in several references to actual siblings.

Natsuki admits in the 23rd special that when she responded to Shizuru's suggestion that they were friends, she did so more "nonchalantly" than she actually meant, which could be interpreted to mean that in the past, she understated how much Shizuru meant to her in addition to not realizing how Shizuru felt toward her.


	20. What We Value Most

**Chapter 20: What We Value Most**

Back near the chapel, Natsuki continued to dodge Julia's attacks, until Nao came to her senses as a result of Bachiko's Child being destroyed.

"Wait, Kuga, stop! I surrender!" Nao said. "I'm back to normal!"

Natsuki paused as she noticed Julia was no longer attacking, but remained wary. Nao had turned from being brainwashed into being nice to her to being brainwashed into being hostile in the blink of an eye, and she wanted to confirm she was acting on her own volition.

"Dismiss your child on three," Natsuki said, and Nao nodded. "One...Two... Three!" Both Duran and Julia vanished, as did Natsuki and Nao's Elements.

"Thanks, now how about getting me out of this?" Nao said, struggling with her webs.

"What's the magic word?" Natsuki said in a faux-offended tone. She realized that since her own manners were less than stellar, she had little right to demand respect from others. However, she wanted to hear Nao's reaction, both for her amusement and to confirm that she was no longer under the influence of either stage of her brainwashing.

"Please let me out, Kuga…-sama." Nao said in the same polite persona she adopted around teachers, something she considered as necessary for school as her uniform. She grimaced with every word she pronounced.

"That's better," Natsuki said, sincerely pleased. "You're too rude and demanding to be the overly polite Nao, and the rude and psychotic one that attacked me would never say 'please', much less call me '–sama', even as a joke."

"Still, brainwashng or no," Nao said, her expression turning serious as Natsuki struggled with removing the webbing, "why didn't you just kill me back there? I can understand being reluctant to kill Fujino, since she's your most important person and you'd probably die along with her, but why me? We've never really gotten along and being hesitant might have endangered yourself and Fujino."

"Weren't you the one who said that killing wasn't something that should be done easily?" Natsuki said, prompting Nao to nod. "That's the first reason I didn't try to kill you. As for the second…" Natsuki looked over and saw Shizuru getting up.

"Natsuki… I'm so sorry I attacked you and Yuuki-san," Shizuru said.

"Shizuru, you're awake… and back to normal!" Natsuki said, greatly relieved. Nao gave no response, save for a silent acknowledgment that she had no right to judge Shizuru despite still being upset about the attempt on her life.

"Yes, but it seems… my secret is out," Shizuru said sadly. "For a long time, I didn't want you to know how I felt, since so many people viewed feelings for those of the same-gender as taboo."

"So many people, such as…" Natsuki said expectantly.

"Suzushiro-san, for one, has been fairly vocal about her feelings on this subject, among others," Shizuru said. "But I was also afraid that you might feel similarly, or at the very least, might be too scared of the possible consequences to accept me."

Natsuki took a moment to continue prying webs off Nao, and then sighed.

"You were afraid that other people, myself included, might not approve. Is that it?"

"Essentially, yes," Shizuru said. "I was mainly concerned about you. After talking to our Otome counterparts, I was trying to formulate an approach and summon the courage to speak to you, but hoped to delay my confession until I was certain that neither of us was affected by the SUEs that arrived today. A bee stung me before I could do so, making me intensely desire your love and want to kill Yuuki-san. But in spite of all the risks I face, most notably how you would take it, I stand by what I said- I love you, Natsuki, and I don't feel I can or should hide that any longer. I only wish I had been able to say it to you this way from the beginning"

Natsuki pondered what Shizuru had said, and then gave a slight chuckle in response.

"Compared to everything else, that's quite a trivial concern," Natsuki said, and Shizuru gasped in surprise. "I'm almost thankful that you got brainwashed, since it gave you a chance to get that out in the open. But now it's my turn to open my heart to you."

Shizuru remained silent, her surprise fading away, as Natsuki continued.

"For most of the time since my mother died, I haven't trusted anyone," Natsuki said. "And if I had no desire to associate with them beyond what was necessary, I certainly wasn't looking for their approval. But, Shizuru, you were the first person to reach out to me when no one else did; it might have seemed like a small gesture to you, but it helped me to see people as trustworthy once again, and enabled me to open up to Mai, Mikoto and the others. I'm not sure whether the way I feel about you is the way you imagined or wanted me to feel. But I love you in return, Shizuru, and I'm deeply grateful for all the time we've spent together and how much it has helped me grow as a person. So why would I, who have trusted only myself for the longest time, care what other people thought about the single best thing to happen to me? You might have caused me to trust people again, but there's not a person in existence whom I will allow to keep us apart or judge the bond we share."

"Oh, Natsuki… Thank you…" Shizuru said before they embraced.

Natsuki glanced over to Nao. A few strands of web still bound her to the tree. After some time passed and the embrace ended, she spoke up.

"That's nice and all, but do I really have to be around for all this?" Nao said.

"It would help," Natsuki said. "I think what I said also applies to you, and relates to the second reason why I didn't want to kill you."

'What does all this have to do with me?" Nao said.

"I realized we're not as different as you think, Nao. We've lost people close to us through malicious action, ended up unwilling to trust others. But the most important lesson Shizuru taught me is that people cannot live alone, nor should they have to.`Take a look around; the people who are willing to accept you are closer to you than you think."

Nao paused thoughtfully as she reflected on Natsuki's statement. The world was indeed a harsh place, and she had been taught it in a relatively painful manner. But not everyone was necessarily her enemy; some people had approached her out of kindness, rather than pity, only for Nao to shut them out. And yet, if Natsuki had learned how to change herself, then so could she.

As Nao stepped forward, free of the webbing, for seemingly the first time in years, a genuine, warm smile crossed her face.

"You're right," Nao said. "Thank you… Natsuki."

* * *

As Mai stood, looking at the space where two of her enemies had once been, she was paralyzed by conflicting emotions. Her memories of her friendship with Bachiko and Meiko had faded, and they should have been no one of any real significance to her. She did, however, know for a fact that for the last few minutes of their lives, they had attacked her, possibly intending to kill her and those she considered most important to her. But again, as always, she did not feel joy over her victory, but sorrow at the death of two human beings, particularly that there was no other way to resolve the conflict.

"Mai…" Mikoto said, confused. "What… happened here?"

Mai gritted her teeth in response to Mikoto's ignorance. That Mikoto could strike down Bachiko and Meiko's Childs and act as though nothing had happened seemed like a bad joke at best, or an ominous sign at worst. She could not shake the feeling of regret she had of killing Alyssa and Toki's most important people, and of being essentially party to the deaths of Shizune, Sekai and now Bachiko and Meiko, even if it was to protect herself, her friends and her world. How could Mikoto simply kill and feel nothing?

"Don't play dumb, Mikoto!" Mai said as anger flashed over her. "You killed Bachiko and Meiko, don't you remember?"

"I did?" Mikoto said, her voice shaking as she tried to come to grips with the unpleasant reality of the situation. "I don't remember. I saw you… in trouble… and the next thing I knew, the two of them disappeared."

Mai then paused while trying to come to grips with the situation. Not all of Bachiko and Meiko's actions made sense to her, but she could not conceive of any reason that they would give Mikoto commands to attack and kill them. Furthermore, if they did this would also be the first time the SUEs' powers endured after their deaths. She had to find out what had come over her best friend.

"I'm sorry, Mikoto," Mai said. "I just… don't know what's happened to you. Obviously it's not the SUEs' influence, but you… didn't seem yourself in that moment. You're a kind girl who makes friends with everyone, not some ruthless killer, even if it's my enemy you're fighting."

Mai's cell phone then rang after a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, and she noticed it was a call from Yukino.

"Mai speaking," Mai said, picking it up.

"Mai-chan, it's Yukino," Yukino said. "I saw that Mikoto-chan defeated the SUEs."

"That's true, Yukino-chan, but… something's come over Mikoto. She doesn't even remember doing so."

"Could they have done something to her?" Yukino asked.

"I'm trying to find out but I don't think any of the other SUEs kept heir powers active after they died. For example, everyone forgot about Suou-san, and now, I can't even remember that these two were my friends."

"That's most interesting,… and troubling," Yukino said. "Speaking of which, Tate-kun would like to talk to you. I explained the situation to him and it seems he was brainwashed, as you suspect. Here, let me put him on."

As Mai waited for Yukino to hand her phone over to Yuuichi, Mikoto slinked off, hanging her head, as she had found what Mai had said too much to bear. Her amnesia aside, shouldn't Mai have been pleased that her enemy was defeated? And why was she looking at Mikoto as though she had changed somehow?

"Mai, I'm so sorry," he said. "Kikukawa just told me about the SUE with the bees and your fight with Shiho. I never wanted to treat you so coldly, or for you to have to fight Shiho because I got her mad at you."

"Yuuichi," Mai said."I'm so glad you're back to normal and safe."

"Come by the hospital," Yuuichi said. "I'd like for you to talk things over with Shiho. She has some things she'd like to tell you, beginning with an apology."

Mai looked over her shoulder and noticed Mikoto had left. Perhaps it was for the best, she thought. After arguments like this, apologies were in order, but the other party had to be in the proper frame of mind to accept the apology while also recognizing what, if anything, she had to apologize for. Having a little time to cool off would be best for both of them, to ensure they did not say anything they regretted.

With that in mind, Mai walked toward the hospital, hoping that by the time she arrived, she would be able to have a meaningful conversation with Yuuichi and even Shiho.

* * *

As Mai entered Shiho's hospital room, Shiho sat up, but instead of scowling at Mai, her face had a gloomy expression, full of depression and remorse.

"I'm so sorry…" Shiho said. "My jealousy led me to attack you, Mai-san, and it almost led me to kill the boy I love most."

"Shiho-chan…" Mai said, pondering her words. "Were you, at any time, especially today, stung by a bee?"

"No," Shiho said. "Onii-chan visited this morning and said he'd cut ties with you. Somehow, I couldn't believe it; maybe it was because I thought some part of him was still tied to you, or maybe it was because I realized that it didn't seem real. But then I got a text message telling me that I could never have him unless I defeated you, and so I set out to do it."

"Who sent you this text message?" Mai said. Shiho then opened her phone.

"Someone named Homura Nagi," Shiho said.

As Mai heard Shiho's statement, she stared in stunned silence.

"Do you know who that is, Mai-san?" Shiho said.

"I've met him before, but I don't know who he really is," Mai said. "He seems to have an interest in us of some kind and seems like a devious and shady character, but I can't discern what his goals are. It's possible that he knows both of us are Himes and wants us to fight one another."

"No, this is entirely my fault," Yuuichi said. "I should have realized sooner how you felt, Shiho, and should have been more decisive in choosing Mai, especially when it came time to let you know how I had felt."

"So you were leading me on all along, Onii-chan?" Shiho snapped accusingly. "The date at Tamayura, all the visits to the hospital, everything? Or was it simply out of pity? What do I really mean to you?"

"I should have been clearer," Yuuichi said. "The two of you are the people I value most in this world. Mai may be the one I love, but you're my dear childhood friend, and I am deeply grateful that you stuck by me back when I was nothing but a jerk, as little as I deserved it. The thought of the two of you fighting each other fighting is the most painful thing I can imagine, something I would give my life to avert if I had to."

"But I don't want that, Onii-chan!" Shiho said forcefully.

"Nor do I!" Mai said.

"Then please, make peace with each other. Forgive each other, for your sake and mine. Even if things can't be the way they were between you before, swear you will never again raise your hands against each other, least of all out of love for me."

For the next few minutes, Mai and Shiho spoke to one another about their feelings for Yuuichi and each other, mending fences and coming to an understanding. He realized that it would take some time for Shiho to come to terms with her inability to win Yuuichi's heart, but he was pleased that she and Mai could find it in themselves to forgive each other, and that Shiho could at least accept his relationship with Mai in spite of her feelings for him.

"Mai-san, there's something else I think you should know," Shiho said as Mai got up to leave.

"What is it, Shiho-chan?" Mai said.

"When I attacked you in the past, someone had sent me an anonymous text message, telling me how to find the portal leading to you. But I don't think it was this Nagi person." Shiho then produced her phone and showed Mai the message, time stamped shortly before 10:00. Mai frowned.

"But the meeting site was supposed to be secret," Mai said. "The only person apart from the rest of us who could possibly have known is the Advisor- unless Asahina Toki-san or the Usurper tipped you off."

"I recall you mentioning an Asahina-san and mistaking me for her," Shiho said.

"Yes, the SUE who was responsible for traveling back in time," Mai said. "She is working for a powerful entity known as the Usurper, as were the other SUEs. There seems to be no collaboration between them, although Bachiko and Meiko were working together. In any case, someone wants us dealt with and used you to try to achieve that goal. And given that there was another entry into the point in time where I was, it's possible that Asahina-san thought to or was ordered to open the portal for you."

Shiho grimaced again, filled with guilt for not only having tried to harm Mai, risking Yuuichi in the process, but also for playing into the hands of a malevolent third party's plan.

"I have to go," Mai said. "We're trying to find a way to stop the Usurper before he can do any more harm; he seems to be putting his plans into high gear."

"I see," Shiho said. "Goodbye… and good luck, Mai-san."

Mai then realized that her encounters with Shiho were neither accidents nor even only the result of their mutual attraction to Yuuichi, but had factored into at least one other individual's plan. The only question that remained was who would stand to benefit from their fighting each other.

* * *

The Himes gathered on the rooftop, waiting for Midori and Mikoto to arrive. While there, Mai pulled aside Nao and Shizuru for a conversation, speaking with them about their experiences. She was saddened to hear that not all of the Himes had made it through this difficult day.

"Despite Sister's passing, it's good to hear that you made it through," Mai said.

"Mai, I'd like to apologize, surprising as that may sound" Nao said.

"What for, Nao-chan?" Mai said.

"I was overly harsh and judgmental to you earlier regarding Takumi. You said you couldn't understand what it would be like to have your only remaining family in a coma? Well, I couldn't imagine what it would feel like to feel responsible for what happened, and to have your only way to atone suddenly snatched away from you, as well as your brother possibly abandoning you. Hell, until recently, it's been hard to imagine even putting others before myself"

"No, you gave me a lot to think about when we spoke in the hospital," Mai said. "I came to think about why I'm taking care of Takumi and what's really best for him. I became more willing to let go of him after realizing that the operation in America is for his own good. So thank you, Nao-chan, for not simply indulging me in my self-pity."

"I was just pissed off back then, mainly over how I'd realized that nothing I'd done since my mother's death had any meaning for me, much less anyone else," Nao said. "I've done some thinking about that, and seeing Natsuki come to my defense, and fight to defeat me without killing me or Julia even after I tried to kill her and Shizuru forced me to think about how I've been acting even after the bee stings wore off. I may be back to 'normal', but I'm no longer the same person I was when we first met- and neither are Natsuki and Shizuru."

"You remember everything that you've done since you got stung?"

"Yeah," Nao said. "Including that I was stung twice."

"I also remember what happened since I was stung," Shizuru said, having been silent during Mai and Nao's conversation. "Is something wrong, Tokiha-san?" she continued, after seeing Mai's expression become more gloomy.

"Mikoto doesn't remember the moment she killed the SUEs by destroying their Childs. And I'm somewhat worried that she hasn't showed up; I might have been overly harsh toward her because of how shocked and worried I was over her behavior."

"Mikoto says things like that sometimes about you," Nao said. "But give her time and she should come around once she realizes that you're not _trying_ to treat her like a little kid."

Midori then walked onto the roof, with an unusually grim visage.

"Everyone, I'm glad you could make it," she said. "Congratulations on defeating two more SUEs, and I'm sorry to hear about Sister. Unfortunately, I have some terrible news regarding the Carnival; I found it earlier, but a bee stung me and left me almost catatonic, leaving me unable to help you during the battle; I apologize for leaving you on your own."

"It was Bachiko," Mai said. "She was probably trying to preemptively eliminate the apparent leader of her enemies to throw them into disarray. But what is this news?"

"Every time a Hime is defeated, a pillar rises and the Festival draws closer to completion, whereupon the Obsidian Lord will return and make the winner his bride. Eleven pillars exist, one for each Hime who does not win, although it seems that SUEs and artificial Himes also count. As far as we know, two Himes, one artificial Hime, and seven SUEs have been defeated, so the Obsidian Lord stands one Hime's defeat away from returning. Finding a plan to defeat him thus takes priority, even if we don't know when the Usurper will appear or how he will come into play in all this."

The meeting ended with the Himes resolving to find more information the next day. The only lead they could agree upon was the director of the academy, who had been less than forthcoming with information in the past. A sense of dread descended on them, knowing that as they reached the endgame, the next move would likely be the Obsidian Lord's.

* * *

Elsewhere, in the evening, Mikoto met up with Reito on an isolated part of campus.

"It's good to see you again, Mikoto," Reito said. "Is something troubling you?"

"I wonder, does Mai trust me?" Mikoto said. "She hasn't taken me along on most of her battles; going up against Shizune with her was Natsuki's idea. Then, when I defeated her enemies, she looked at me like I was possessed or not acting like myself, when I only wanted to help her. What can I do?"

As Reito listened to Mikoto's words, Mikoto sensed something had changed in this person, the most likely candidate to be her real brother.

"Would you like to meet your real brother?" he said.

* * *

**Author's Note**:Thank you for the reviews.

The chapter includes my interpretation of what Natsuki meant by her response to Shizuru in Episode 25. She perhaps cannot feel the same way Shizuru imagines or hopes she would, but she does nevertheless consider her the most important person in her life and love her romantically. Shizuru's descent into insanity in the last few episodes seems to be catalyzed by Natsuki thinking that Shizuru raped her while she was asleep (It's never officially confirmed whether she did), and vehemently rejecting her. Without that and the subsequent killings for Natsuki's sake, Shizuru's confession would more likely be easily accepted.

As for Shiho, while many dislike her for her clinginess over Yuuichi and jealousy toward Mai, it's important to take into account how she might feel. Imagine you have a friend for a long time, with whom you've stuck around during a difficult period for that friend, when everyone else turned away. You see this friend as more than a friend, but this feeling is not reciprocated. And then someone merely shows up and, in your view, steals your friend's heart away, despite being someone whom you feel hasn't done for your friend as much as you did. This doesn't excuse Shiho's actions, but it is quite frustrating to experience this. It's also reminiscent of what two other girls, who coincidentally have Shiho's initials- Sayaka Miki of Puella Magi Madoka Magica and Shiina "Misha" Mikado of Katawa Shoujo- go through, and they seem to have more viewer sympathy.

Nao has always struck me as a in interesting character, particularly in being what TV Tropes describes as a "Jerkass Woobie". Life has been very harsh to her, especially in what happened to her parents and the belief that their killers escaped justice, but she does not respond well to that injustice, whether by robbing perverts or by being very harsh with most people, even to people like Mai, who have not done anything to her to deserve it. And yet, Nao also has the potential within her to come to terms with the world, and possibly end up as a kinder, if still relatively cynical, individual.

Mai has always come off as a very forgiving individual. She was able to forgive and continue reaching out to Mikoto, even after thinking Mikoto had killed Takumi, and seeing her essentially kill Professor Sasaki and Yuuichi by destroying Midori and Shiho's Childs. It thus stands to reason that she could potentially put aside her grudge against Shiho.

The final battle is approaching, as we're about 80% of the way through the story. From here on out, you will see some results of character development I suspect would have happened had the ending taken a more serious tone (with the resurrections included), along with those from events that happened in my story. From the former, examples include what Nao would think once she realizes her similarity with Natsuki, how Shiho (who briefly expresses shame over her actions on the way to the final confrontation might come to terms with Mai's relationship with Yuuichi and what will happen between Shizuru and Natsuki once Natsuki admits her feelings for Shizuru. Because it had a more lighthearted tone, it's hard to tell what the characters actually felt about their own actions and the impact the Carnival had on them.


	21. Endgame

**Chapter 21:Endgame  
**

Later that night, the First District Headquarters an held emergency meeting in the chamber of their three female leaders, with all in attendance save for those observing the school.

"Everyone," one of the women began, "despite the loss of Operative Ishigami, the Carnival is nearing its completion. We have received word that the Obsidian Lord has revealed himself, and once one last Hime is defeated, he will return and lead Japan to a glorious new future. Now behold, the Obsidian Lord, our master and savior!"

The door opened and the Obsidian Lord walked into the room inside the body of Kanzaki Reito. He was flanked by Mikoto on his right and Nagi on his left, and two SUEs who looked exactly like Haruka and Mai, down to their respective school uniforms, followed behind him. He surveyed the crowd that was on bended knee in his presence. The crowd's mood was jubilant, but concern over decorum prevented that feeling from being manifested as anything more than a smile.

"Everyone, thank you for your hard work," the Obsidian Lord began. "Your concern for Japan's present state is commendable; few would willingly accept living in a house that was once grand but now falling apart if they had any resolve to fix it. However, I believe that the current residents of the house are at fault; instead of making the necessary repairs to their house themselves, they sat around and placed their hopes in a repair man coming to take care of their own house for them free of charge. The problem is not with the house or anyone outside it, but with those living in it. The solution is that this ancient and venerable house now needs new residents and stewards."

The assembled crowd listened, unwilling to believe what they were hearing, their reverence from the Obsidian Lord preventing them from raising any questions or objections. Surely his leadership would raise Japan into a new golden age, as they thought. But their goals had also been to enjoy this golden age themselves, and be the most powerful in the new world apart from the Obsidian Lord.

"Mikoto, Nagi, and our new friends Makoto and Suzuka, dispose of them," the Obsidian Lord said. "These fools have no place in the new age!"

"Yes, Ani-ue," Mikoto said.

Gone was the girl who cheerfully proclaimed her "love" of her friends and Mai's cooking, and fought with all her might to keep them safe. In her place was a grim, almost emotionless servant of the Obsidian Lord, warped almost beyond recognition by his manipulation and willing to strike down all his enemies, even if they were once her friends.

Nagi, however, was the same as ever, a façade of almost playful mischievousness serving as a façade for a diabolical, cunning and sadistic mind.

"Right away!" Nagi said.

Mikoto stabbed her sword into the ground, creating a wave of spikes that impaled most of the attending First District operatives.

"Miroku!" Mikoto yelled. From the ground came a large demonic Child that let out a bestial roar.

As the three leaders of the First District attempted to flee, having been betrayed by their own master, Miroku slammed down its fist and crushed them. Armed guards then arrived, but Miroku shrugged off the bullets and knocked them aside as Mikoto cut through another squad of them. Nagi unleashed several Orphans, one of which ate a scientist who tried to call for help.

Kagami Makoto was a SUE who could take on the form and powers of any Hime she- while possessing no true sex, Makoto typically took on a female role- wished, and chose Mai. She used her Child, which also imitated Mai's, to launch a fireball at one of the rear exits, causing that part of the building to be engulfed by flames. Meanwhile, Harushiro Suzuka, a whose being a doppelganger of Haruka was by nature rather than by choice, unleashed laser beams from her large mace-like element and angler fish child, Komokuten, at several guards.

* * *

Sergeant Akashi Daisuke, head of night security for First District, crouched behind cover, having lost virtually all of his men to the unknown threat. He had never questioned anything he had to do in the past, such as when he was called in one night, years ago when he was a simple operative, to hunt down and kill a Kuga Saeko. Everything he was doing was for the good of Japan, and he trusted in his mysterious employers to live up to his faith in them. Now, as mysterious as these intruders were, the more pressing matter was to fight them off and keep them from disrupting the leadership's meeting, a matter considered of highest priority and to be handled with the utmost secrecy.

He was unaware why these monsters and people with monstrous powers had attacked the headquarters, yet if he could not defeat them it was his duty to get word out. He quickly took a picture of Mikoto from behind, and then sent it via e-mail to Sakomizu, hoping he would know what to do.

"_five intruders attacking headquarters. Possible connection to obsidian lord visit"_

As Mikoto noticed Daisuke and swung down her sword, his eyes were locked on his phone's wallpaper of his wife, who worked as an accountant at Fuuka Academy, and their son, who was in his first year of middle school at the same academy. He was overwhelmed with sorrow; he had always expected that he might die in his duties, including even taking his own life rather than betraying the First District's secrets, but it still pained him to leave behind his family.

"_I'm sorry… it looks like I won't be able to live with you in the prosperous new Japan."_

The phone and Daisuke were then cleaved in half.

Within a quarter of an hour, the carnage inside the First District Headquarters had ended, and the headquarters was in flames. There were no survivors.

* * *

"Th…that's impossible…" Natsuki said as Sakomizu, a teacher at Fuuka Academy and one of the few surviving First District members, told her the news the next morning.

"A friend of mine posted at headquarters, Sergeant Akashi, sent me this photo before he was killed," Sakomizu said, pressing a few buttons on his cell phone and turning it around to show her. The picture, taken in haste, was out of focus, and showed a girl in a middle school uniform from behind. Only the fact that she was holding a sword as long as her body with a black blade convinced Natsuki that it was Mikoto, but even then, she couldn't identify for certain the object behind her- was it an Orphan, Mikoto's Child or something else?

"Mikoto…" Natsuki said in horror. She realized the implications of this photo despite not realizing how it had come to this, and she knew it would be exceptionally hard on Mai to learn what her best friend had done.

"Sergeant Akashi didn't say anything else, but he suggested that the Obsidian Lord, who was intended to help us remake Japan into a utopia, was visiting the First District Headquarters. Virtually all of the members except those at the school were summoned there, but as for why the Obsidian Lord would try to have us all killed- if it is the Obsidian Lord- is beyond me, and Sergeant Akashi most likely didn't find out anything else."

"Have you shown it to anyone else?" Natsuki said.

"Only the director," Sakomizu said. "Perhaps we in the First District have meddled with powers that are beyond our comprehension. In any event, what happens to this world is out of our hands now."

"Perhaps it's not out of _our_ hands," Natsuki said, before walking off.

After a few moments, Natsuki realized that the fact that her mother's killers had been destroyed was in the back of her mind. Was it due to what she had heard about her mother? Natsuki had thought it over the previous night, and decided that, whatever the truth was, she would believe in and cherish her memories of her mother, memories John Smith would never be able to know, even if he was telling the truth. As her thoughts turned to her mother, Natsuki felt a sense of longing and nostalgia. She missed her mother, and now that her targets of her revenge were dead, she realized those feelings would never fully abate.

Natsuki walked a few meters away from her meeting with Sakomizu before noticing someone behind her.

"So I guess revenge isn't everything it's cracked up to be, is it?" Nao said. "Or does it not count if you don't achieve it?"

"Eavesdropping isn't very polite," Natsuki quipped. "But to answer your question, I have to wonder- was this the moment I've been hoping and working toward all those years? Everyone involved with my mother's death is now dead. They deserved it for serving the Obsidian Lord, even if I did not have a more personal grudge against them. But my mother is still dead, and this triumph seems hollow, and I'm not sure if I got what I wanted in the end."

"What _do_ you want, Natsuki?" Nao said.

"I actually don't know the answer to that question myself," Natsuki said. "Was it bringing justice to my mother's killers as the court system could not? I suppose that happened, although they didn't die because of what they did to my mother. Was it to get the personal satisfaction of ending their lives? I'll never know whether that would be enough for me, although I suspect it would not. Was it to prevent anything like this from ever happening again? I doubt I could send a message by eliminating a secret organization, and I've never been the kind of hero to save the world."

"Neither am I," Nao said.

"So what about you, Nao?" Natsuki said.

"Our quests may have the same motive in mind, but they're different in how we carry them out. Yours is a long journey with a disappointing ending, like playing a 30-hour role-playing game only to find that someone killed the final boss for you."

"Are you saying it's about the journey rather than the destination?" Natsuki said.

"_Hell_ no," Nao said firmly, her voice laced with bitterness. "My quest is like one of those arcade games with the same level over and over, but without any challenge or risk of defeat. It was fun for a while but I eventually realized I was never getting anywhere. I think both of us sought our revenge to gain inner peace as a substitution for having our parents back, which is something we can never have. Unfortunately for us, this method won't soothe our pain."

"Now that I think about it…" Natsuki said. "… I do have a goal left that is worth pursuing. To defeat the Obsidian Lord, the Usurper and any remaining SUEs. To find Mikoto and bring her back to us safely. To ensure that humanity as a whole is able to decide the course of the world, rather than whoever controls the power of the Hime Star."

"And get back to collecting underwear?" Nao said with a sly smile.

Natsuki sighed exasperatedly, but slightly amused.

"If you have to put it that way, yes," Natsuki said. "But a purpose is a purpose, and I'm glad we seem to have found ours."

"So am I," Nao said. "Let's meet up with the others; maybe they can help us get Mikoto out of this mess."

* * *

Haruka, Yukino, Shizuru and Yuuichi surveyed the ruins of a building on the Fuuka Academy campus that had been destroyed the previous night, with Yukino's Child peering into the debris. In the middle of the rubble, they found the twisted corpse of Miyu, ripped asunder by a blow of extreme force and showing circuitry rather than entrails.

"Who could have done this?" Yukino asked.

"It's possible that it's the Obsidian Lord, trying to wrap up loose ends," Shizuru said. "You said Miyu-san was from the Searrs Foundation, so it's likely that they were trying to eliminate any possible weapons their enemies could use against them.

"Geez… where is Reito-san at a time like this?' Haruka muttered. "Even if the school's closed, that doesn't give him license to walk out on his duties!"

"He was here yesterday," Yukino said. "But with the exodus of students, it's hard to tell who disappeared to where. Mikoto-chan also recently went missing- Mai-chan said she didn't come back to their room, and I haven't been able to find her on campus."

Yukino sighed dejectedly. Were her powers not enough to find Mikoto? Was she not using them in the correct manner? Or was the solution something else entirely? Her questions stopped once Haruka put a firm yet reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"It's too soon to give up, Yukino," Haruka said. "If you keep at it, they'll turn up soon, and I'm sure you'll play a role in it somehow."

"Yes… Thank you, Haruka-chan. Perhaps Mikoto-chan and Kanzaki-senpai are somewhere I haven't thought to look…"

* * *

The Obsidian Lord sat on a couch in the cavern where the Himes had once hid while planning their counterattack against the Searrs Foundation. Mikoto was standing at his side, and Nagi was seen speaking to Makoto, while Suzuka looked on from some distance away.

"I must say, Nagi-kun, you're quite cute," Makoto said. "You act so sharp-witted and cruel, but you're a good person if you have the right girl with you."

"I appreciate this, Mai-chan… I mean, Makoto-chan," Nagi said to Mai's doppelganger. "You're just the girl I've been looking for all this time."

Nagi smirked; ignoring the jealous glare Suzuka was giving him. It was simply too easy to manipulate this girl, but it was a welcome change from how things had turned out with the SUEs' interference. The Obsidian Lord may have returned, but most of the Himes were still alive, and the Obsidian Lord himself had been acting strangely. Nagi wondered why the Obsidian Lord had chosen to dispose of the First District so readily, or why he immediately knew where to find Miyu's robotic body as well as why she would be a potential threat. Nagi reasoned that should the worst-case scenario occur and the Obsidian Lord be playing into someone else's hands, having one of the SUEs on his side would be crucial.

Makoto sighed quietly at Nagi's gaffe. Ever since assuming Mai's form, she had been preoccupied with the question of what Mai would say or do in a given situation. Her spending time with Nagi was half based on that and half based on her shallow infatuation with him. But every time Nagi or the Obsidian Lord accidentally saw her as Mai, they reminded her that she was pretending to be someone she was not, rather than having become everything that Mai was, and everything about her that appealed to others. Suzuka, having been made in Haruka's image rather than having chosen to assume that form herself, had never had any reason to question her own identity, nor had she had any opportunities to meet or hear of the real Haruka. And Makoto wondered if Suzuka only liked her because of who she seemed to be, rather than who she actually was, so Suzuka's feelings for her remained unrequited.

Mikoto wanted nothing to do with Makoto. Makoto was visually similar to Mai, but somehow nothing like her; she had no talent at cooking, nor any memory of her time with Mikoto. And yet, seeing someone who looked just like Mai reminded Mikoto of her friend, which she found to be unbearably painful. She told herself that as Mai had been horrified when she had killed the SUEs, she would never accept her after what she had done for her brother. And so as Makoto walked over to talk to her, Mikoto silently turned away, hoping Makoto would never see the despair on her face and that she would never see the imitation of Mai's face.

Fumi walked into the cavern pushing Mashiro in her wheelchair, as she moved to confront the Obsidian Lord. Mashiro's plan until now had been to allow things to play out as the Obsidian Lord had intended, until they were able to release the souls of the lost important people and win the Carnival. Now Miyu, her instrument for breaking the pillars, had been destroyed, but several Himes were alive and in possession of their powers. She had left a note behind for the other Himes in the event of her failure, but it was now time to confront the Obsidian Lord herself, rather than force the responsibility to others.

"If it isn't the Queen of Hell," the Obsidian Lord said.

"I came here to stop you, Kanzaki-san… no, Obsidian Lord," Mashiro said.

"That is incorrect; you are speaking to the Usurper."

Mashiro and Fumi gasped.

"You might have planned for this festival to play out until you could break the rules entirely, but you didn't count on the game having additional players. Alyssa Searrs was the first, and the SUEs came later. The rest of the First District might have been unsuited to my ideal world, but there is still a place for you two. Will you accept?"

"Never," they said.

"A shame, then. But you cannot hope to stop the coming age, and your defeat will be the last step that brings it about."

"Whoever you are, your plans will end right here, right now." Mashiro said.

As Fumi summoned her scythe and her Child, she saw the leader of her enemies taking a seat on the couch; she was already facing three strong enemies from the start as Mikoto, Makoto and Suzuka attacked. Even Nagi stood ready, knowing that even if his prediction had come true and the Obsidian Lord had somehow fallen afoul of the third party, Fumi and Mashiro were still his enemy.

It was apparent he had realized that Fumi was entering a battle she could not hope to win.

* * *

On the school roof once again, Mai, Natsuki, Nao, Yukino, Haruka, Shizuru and Midori met to discuss the recent events. Yukino's group and Natsuki had finished giving reports on what they had learned. Yukino had no further luck finding Mikoto, but was prepared to try again once she had heard what the others had to say.

"Mikoto..." Mai said, stunned and almost completely speechless.

"You don't think… Mikoto-chan is somehow being manipulated?" Yukino said.

"It's possible that the Obsidian Lord or a SUE did something like that," Natsuki said. "Suou could make people fall head over heels in love with her, and Senboname could probably, with enough modification, have achieved the same result with her abilities. I don't think Senboname was stupid or suicidal enough to make Mikoto kill her and Moriya, so I suspect that whoever this third party is has been trying to meddle all along"

"There's another issue I'd like to bring to everyone's attention," Midori said. "The Director slipped a letter under my door this morning."

"Does that mean the entire administration was in on this, too?" Haruka said indignantly. Every time the situation with the Himes and the SUEs brought up, she realized the problem was deeper and more enigmatic than the last time she spoke of it, but she had not yet overcome feeling as though she had been the only high-ranking member of the student government left out of the loop.

"Not quite," Midori said. "Some of the teachers were probably First District agents, but they brought me in because I was a Hime, and I was unaware of this as much as you were. Most of the teachers who don't know anything left with the others."

Midori retrieved the letter from the unsealed envelope and began to read aloud.

"Sugiura-sensei, I have uncovered the identity of the Obsidian Lord. His name is Kanzaki Reito-san, vice president of the student Council."

Mai gasped in shock, and the four Student Council members froze in horror as they realized the true reason behind Reito's absence.

"Kanzaki-san has apparently been possessed by the Obsidian Lord. From what I have gathered, Homura Nagi, Minagi Mikoto-san, and two unknown SUEs are in league with him. He has destroyed the First District's headquarters and it is likely that he will move to eliminate me next. Before he can do that, I will face him, but should I fail, go to the land of Fuuka, indicated on this map. The Carnival will come to a close at that place, once the final pillar rises."

Almost as if on cue, the sky lit up in a shade of purple as the Hime Star descended to Earth, brought down by the rise of the eleventh pillar.

The land of Fuuka had opened.

The final battle had begun.

* * *

**Author's Note:** The Obsidian Lord spoke of disposing of the First District in Episode 23. Without Shizuru doing it for him, it's likely he would have to do it himself. Similarly, the Obsidian Lord would likely have succeeded in destroying Miyu without Midori's intervention.

One question remains; do the guards and other rank-and-file members of the First District deserve what happened to them? There are two most commonly accepted interpretations of evil minions- either they are unwilling slaves who would abandon their masters or switch sides if they could, or they are gleeful about pursuing their evil deeds and know what they are involved in. By my interpretation, the First District, being a secretive organization, is unlikely to cleanly fall into either. On the one hand, the lower-ranking members, are unlikely to know the full extent of what the First District is planning. On the other, this most likely extends to how they plan on accomplishing their goal, rather than their goal itself. Furthermore, the First District would likely be selective with its recruits, choosing only those who not only were skilled at their jobs, but also were trustworthy, willing to perform morally dubious actions such as murder and loyal to the cause.

In conclusion, the deaths of people like Daisuke who leave families behind is tragic. But their deaths came as a result of decisions they had made that caused harm to others, and would likely make again if given the opportunity. It is arguable that the conflict could have ended without their deaths, but it is far more difficult to argue that they were innocent victims or unwilling collaborators. They are, like Yukariko, not necessarily bad people, but they made bad decisions; whether their deaths are a fair consequence is another matter, but they came as a result of their own actions.

Makoto is intended to be a look at authors who project themselves into canon characters, twisting their personality to suit their goals. I chose Mai because she seems to be the most powerful of all the Himes, and because of her connection to Mikoto, who would be pained at having a pale imitation of her best friend around after her defection.

Suzuka is based on Haruka from the Mai-Hime manga, and in the manga, she is a Hime with the ability to shoot lasers from a mace and summon an angler-fish child named Komokuten. She is intended to explore the concept of empowering canon characters for certain purposes, whether by exaggerating their canon abilities or giving them new ones. For example, in Nanoha fan fiction, people tend to overestimate how powerful Yuuno (basically an archaeologist who is very good at shields and somewhat good at healing, but not good with much else) is, from a scene in which he deflects some attacks made by Vita, whose offensive abilities are among the strongest in the series (but she was not fighting at full power at the time).

As for the manga, if you can get past Natsuki being in love with Yuuichi, Yuuichi being the main character, and Haruka being a Hime instead of Shizuru, it's a good read that is similar to this fic in that the Himes stay together.


	22. Confrontation

**Chapter 22: Confrontation**

As the Hime Star lit up the sky, a sign of Fumi's defeat, the Himes watched in a mixture of awe and terror. Their fighting had, all along, been to bring about this event, and now the most difficult part remained.

"Congratulations, Himes," the Advisor said, breaking the silence. "You have made it to the final round and one task remains- defeat the Obsidian Lord, the Usurper and the remaining SUEs. Three factions exist- you, who seek to preserve the world as it stands now; the Obsidian Lord, who seeks to rule over it; and the Usurper and the Usurper and the SUEs, who wish to reshape it in their image. If you defeat your enemies, the world's fate will once again be humanity's to determine. If you surrender, you will be slaves to the new order. If you are defeated, you and your loved ones will perish."

"I think we know what we've all decided," Midori said, as everyone else nodded. Even if they did not yet fully understand what the Advisor's stake in the conflict was, or why he had chosen to help them at some times but not others, they knew it was necessary to defeat the SUEs, and they had the best chance of doing so.

"Wait!" Shiho said, running up to the roof. "Please, let me fight, this time, alongside you!"

"Shiho-chan?" Mai said.

"I have much to atone for, and from what I've heard, this Obsidian Lord and Usurper threaten us all! I won't be a pawn in their plan any longer; this time, I want to protect this world!s"

"It's your call, Mai-chan," Midori said. "Do you think Shiho-chan can be trusted?"

"Yes," Mai said. "She has acknowledged her mistake and wishes to make up for it."

"Mai-san… thank you…" Shiho said.

"Mai, Shiho..." Yuuichi said. "Good luck. End this once and for all."

"We will," Mai said. "I'm not saying goodbye; like the Avatar said, we either win or lose everything, and there's only one outcome I can accept."

Nearby, Haruka was finishing talking with Yukino.

"It looks like it's almost time for me to go, Haruka-chan," Yukino said.

Haruka sighed. She knew the unspoken message before her name, _"without you"_.

"I see," Haruka said. "Yukino, remember one thing. No matter how strong the enemy, no matter how difficult the odds, guts and defenestration will always prevail!"

"Determination," Yukino said with a smile. Midori, overhearing the conversation, smiled approvingly.

"All right, everyone!" Midori said, getting the Himes' attention. "We have a few goals before us. First, we must defeat the Obsidian Lord. Second, we must eliminate the last of the SUEs. Third, we must save the ones who have been led astray. And lastly, by doing all this, we must retake humanity's ability to determine the course the world takes. This battle will be difficult, and some might say it's impossible to win. But what have we done in the past? We've defeated an entire army that occupied our school! We've finished off a serial killer who can control minds! We've thwarted attempts at changing history! We've defeated someone who laughs at our powers! We've defended Fuuka Academy from an otherworldly invasion force! We've survived attempts to overwrite our personalities and memories! Our enemy may have abilities beyond the capabilities of ordinary humans or even Himes, but so have the foes we have defeated in the past! No matter how overwhelming the odds may be, we will fight against them and We! Will! Win! Go forth, Hime Rangers!"

The assembled Himes resolutely walked down the stairs, ready to challenge the impossible, to break a cycle that repeated every 300 years, and secure their own future.

* * *

The Himes eventually reached a large cavern beneath the school with eleven pillars, and briefly paused to look around.

"I wonder…" Mai said, "Did all these SUEs have people they cared about, too? Bachiko and Meiko died from the destruction of each other's Childs."

"I know Kirihara didn't have anyone like that," Natsuki said. "Although I wonder what- or perhaps who- could make a sociopath like her."

"That's true, but her aside, theoretically, any bond, no matter how shallow, that stands above all others, should qualify one to be a Hime's most important person," Nao said. "But could these SUEs even be capable of such a connection with others?"

"Possibly," Mai said. "They focus on certain things with such intensity, almost like an obsession; perhaps they would decide someone they had only just met was the one dearest to them. Thinking about it now… I actually pity the SUEs. It's as though they were constructed to be such shallow, single-minded individuals, humans born without all their parts."

"Still, they've done- or wanted to do- some pretty terrible things," Natsuki said. "It pains me that we had no choice but to kill them, but they didn't leave us much choice, since because of their obsessive personalities, they couldn't just give up on their goals." Natsuki said those words with a heavy heart; it was only a day ago that she truly realized how much people could change, and only earlier this day that she decided she no longer valued revenge. If she and others could change, why couldn't the SUEs?

"That is true," Mai said. "Maybe they wanted to change the world because it's the only way they could have one in which they could live. Maybe they were simply unable to conceive the idea of the lives, well-being and happiness of people other than themselves and those they cared about having value. Maybe even Kirihara-san chose to be evil because if she didn't have a conscience, there was virtually no way she could have chosen to be good."

"And yet, whatever they might be fighting for or why, we can't leave the world to people like them," Midori said. "Let's go end this struggle once and for all."

The Himes then descended the stairs and reached a cliff looking out at an island with ruins and the Hime Star, with the cliff connected to the islands by a bridge.

"Welcome, Himes," the Usurper, while flanked by Nagi, Mikoto, Suzuka and Makoto.

"Mikoto…." Mai said as she looked at her best friend, now at the side of her brother.

"I've finally found my brother, Mai," Mikoto said. "I must do as he says."

"But what about me? What about the rest of your friends?"

Mikoto hesitated in response to Mai's question.

Yukino looked at Suzuka and Makoto, then turned to Mai.

"Mai-chan! The SUEs are imitating you and Haruka-chan!"

"But why are you allied with the SUEs anyway, Obsidian Lord?' Natsuki said. "I thought you wanted to have one of us as your wife!"

"It's true that the Obsidian Lord would want one person like that, and so would Kanzaki Reito," said the young man whose true identity was no longer certain to the Himes. "The two of them wanted a certain Tokiha Mai, whom the Obsidian Lord hoped would become his wife and serve as the progenitor of a new race of human beings. The Obsidian Lord was a fool. I, the Usurper, hope to do things much better than he did"

"Then… who are you? Did you make the SUES?" Midori said.

"No, I was merely gifted with them and told to use them as I saw fit. Originally, one of the SUEs, the one who prevailed, was going to become my vessel after defeating all of you, but as all of them fell in battle, I chose the Obsidian Lord, intending to claim control of the Carnival, a game designed so that he would be the only winner."

"And what now?" Midori said. "Clearly he didn't predict that there would be so many Himes left at the end."

"Firstly, all of you, or as many of you as are willing to accept, will join me in what might be considered my harem as I repopulate Earth with people who meet my standards, share my ideals, and dedicate their lives to the worship of me."

The Himes' faces tightened with revulsion, but after a moment, a sly grin crossed Shizuru's face.

"There is a certain problem with your plan," Shizuru said proudly. "Some of us are, shall we say, spoken for already, and some of those such individuals have interests in those of the same gender, myself included."

"Shizuru…" Natsuki said, surprised yet delighted at Shizuru's statement. "Count me as another such individual, Usurper. But I don't think anyone here would willingly submit to someone like you!"

"Of course, I'm more than willing to watch some of you going to bed with each other in your spare time; I do happen to have an appreciation for the female form" the Usurper continued, eliciting looks of disgust. "But it's only a matter of time now before your resistance becomes futile. I am in the process of harvesting the defeated SUEs' powers, Suou Mariko's in particular, which will enable me to be worshiped as a god by the new world. I will also imbue you with parts of the SUEs' personality, abilities and powers, raising you to something more than the ordinary human beings with special powers you would have remained otherwise. You and I will be joined in a bond of mutual love, and will give birth to a new, perfect humanity!"

Natsuki chuckled derisively.

"You're a fool… and a hypocrite," she said. "You talk of perfection when in fact the only power you yourself had is borrowed. As for your SUEs, all the ones who have come before have been defeated, and the ones that remain are mere copies of Mai and Suzushiro. Surely you've realized that your strength will never be a match for ours? But what you haven't realized is that no matter how much you may try to cheat, steal or copy our powers, you will never be our equals!"

"All of us were once powerless," Yukino said. "We've had to struggle against everyday difficulties, as well as those unique to our own lives, and change and grow stronger to continue on in life, even before we became Himes. With these new powers, we've had to question ourselves, do things we never even thought possible and face odds that were against us even with our powers! But when have things ever been difficult for you or the SUEs before now? Have any of your problems been significant enough that success was not guaranteed? Because you haven't faced adversity, you don't have what it takes to win!"

"Getting this far was impossible for us at the beginning, even once we'd awakened our powers," Midori said. "It might sound like I'm ripping off an anime, but we've had to become better fighters, grow as people and survive multiple battles in order to be able to face you, without being handed any of that on a silver platter like you were! If your SUEs had become stronger, they might have been able to defeat us, but they couldn't grow, and so were defeated because we surpassed them! Our victory will be one we have earned ourselves!"

"But would you sacrifice a chance at a perfect new world, and risk your lives to try to preserve this one, in which you suffer?" The Usurper said.

"Nothing is perfect!" Nao said. "Bad things happen to us in life, some of which happen without reason and some of which are our own faults! This world is, to some degree, the one we deserve! But people can change, and they can improve themselves! They might not ever achieve 'perfection,' but whatever world they make would damn well be better than whatever you come up with if your SUEs are any indication of what you consider perfect!"

"Life doesn't always give you what you want," Shiho said. "Sometimes the object of your dreams or the person you desire is beyond your reach no matter how hard you try. Sometimes your goal is impossible before you even begin. But life goes on, and you can find new reasons for living, new goals, new people to cherish, and sometimes you may even find that your old goal was not what you truly wanted! You could never realize any of this if you simply got what you wanted all the time!"

"You will have everything you desire and more," the Usurper said. "With my powers, you will never want for anything, nor will you need to question what you have. Your most pleasant dreams and greatest, previously impossible, will become reality."

"Imagination and reality are two separate things," Shizuru said. "Often, things you'd hoped for don't quite measure up in reality. But sometimes, something or someone defies your expectations and yet is wonderful in its own unique way. An endless fulfillment of all your fantasies would deny you this satisfaction, and render all the times your wishes were granted meaningless!"

"I was offered such a world once," Natsuki said. "But I realized that it was just that, a reflection of my deepest desires that could not ever become true, and chose to continue to stay in this one! If I rejected a world based on my own personal desires, what makes you think I would accept one based on yours? I would never sacrifice the joys and sorrows of my own life to become a mindless slave for your pleasure!"

"Each one of us has a person that is special in their own way," Mai said, looking at Mikoto as if speaking to her as much as to the Usurper. "We've spent time with them, bonded with them, allowed them to become important to us, and become a part of each other's lives. We can name a few ways in which those people fall short of perfection, but many others in which they've touched our hearts, influenced us, and made us happy. They will never be perfect and I'm not sure how close they are to being as good as they can be, but they're precious to us and they've become irreplaceable parts of our lives. If we were to accept your world, we'd give up all of who we are and who they are, and that's why you must be stopped!"

"So be it," the Usurper said. "Mikoto! Nagi! Makoto! Suzuka! Dispose of the fools who will not accept this new age!"

The combatants slowly moved into position. Mai floated toward Mikoto on her Elements as Shizuru, occasionally looking toward Mai, moved in on the Usurper, who had drawn a katana. Yukino gazed over at Suzuka as Natsuki moved over to her side to protect her. Shiho turned to Makoto, who was still in Mai's form. As Nagi descended and began to summon Orphans, Midori and Nao moved to intercept the swarm.

The Himes had made their decision to preserve the current state of the world. The SUEs stood hoping to change it to suit their purposes. The Obsidian Lord sought to rule it by himself. Only one side would walk away from this clash of wills.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Here is when the Himes show off the lessons they learned and demonstrate why they are unwilling to accept the Obsidian Lord/Usurper's proposal. In the series, none of the Himes would reasonably accept the Obsidian Lord's plan, and the same goes for the Usurper once he possessed the Obsidian Lord.

The Usurper's powers consist of the ability to possess people's bodies, a limited ability to see and hear what is going on elsewhere(similar to Yukino's powers), and the ability to contact the SUEs via telepathy, as well as interface with modern communication devices, such as cell phones and computers.


	23. The Final Battle

**Chapter 23:The Final Battle**

As Mai stood before Mikoto, she noticed, for the first time in the confrontation, and for the first time since Mikoto joined the Obsidian Lord, doubt in Mikoto's eyes.

"Mai… what you and the others said…" Mikoto began, her voice quavering.

"Yes, Mikoto, it is true," Mai said. "I do value the time we spent with each other. And you are one of the people that I cherish most..."

"Mikoto!" the Usurper called out forcefully. "Your brother's enemy stands before you! Do as I command and finish her off!"

"I have no choice, Mai," Mikoto said. "I must fight for my brother!"

As Mikoto summoned Miroku, Kagutsuchi and Kiyohime emerged to attack it, seeking to prevent it from getting involved in the engagement.

The Usurper charged forward, sword in hand, only to be blocked by a swing of Shizuru's naginata.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to be your opponent, Reito-san, no, Usurper," Shizuru said. "I can't let anyone over while Tokiha-san is trying to bring Mikoto-chan to her senses."

Mikoto swung her sword at Mai in a downward diagonal slash, and Mai blocked it with her bracelets. Mai's strategy was defensive, but she realized that at some point, she would have to go on the offensive, in one method or another, in order to secure victory. The same went with Shizuru, who also hoped to triumph over the Usurper and Obsidian Lord without severely injuring or killing Reito.

Their success also depended in part on the outcome of their companions' battles.

* * *

Natsuki looked up at Mai and Shizuru's battles.

"Good luck, Shizuru, Mai!" Natsuki said, before turning back to Suzuka.

"Do you think any amount of luck will be sufficient to save them?" Suzuka said. "Their arrogance will be their downfall, and your annihilation is inevitable!" However, she turned over to regard Makoto with a measure of concern, as Makoto began to fight Shiho.

"_I might have two enemies, but I hope to get things done quickly and help her,"_ she thought. _"I wonder how confident her single opponent is to face her alone."_

"Once you're defeated, we'll help them," Yukino said.

"Yukino, are you sure about this?" Natsuki said. "This girl's imitating Suzushiro."

"I know Haruka-chan very well, and this is not the one I remember. For one, she's used far too many large words without tripping over any of them. Secondly, she gets along too well with Mai-chan's doppelganger." She said the latter with some sadness that two of her friends did not like each other, but relief that neither of them were her enemies in this battle. "And also... she doesn't seem as determined as Haruka-chan is. Haruka-chan sometimes doubts herself but persists nevertheless. I wonder how long this girl will persist if we back her into a corner."

"Komokuten!" Suzuka shouted, and a large angler fish came out of the ground, firing lasers wildly, at almost everywhere except Yukino and Natsuki.

"Duran!" Natsuki shouted while laying down some cover fire to force Suzuka to duck behind a rock wall. Duran raced forward at Komokuten, but it leaped again and fired another barrage of lasers, hitting almost everything except its intended targets. The lasers came close enough, however, to force Natsuki and Yukino to take cover.

A second barrage came out, and one arced toward Yukino, who quickly turned one of her mirrors outward. The shot went back toward Komokuten, grazing Suzuka's child and causing it to cry out in pain, forcing it to halt its attacks. Wounded but still in control of itself, it escaped one of Duran's Silver Cartridges before it struck where Komokuten had once been, causing a large, yet pointless, explosion.

Yukino, however, knew that much was not enough to win, and she would perhaps not be so lucky the next time a laser came toward her or Natsuki.

* * *

One of Komokuten's lasers barely missed Nagi, causing an explosion near him.

"Whew, that was close," he said, in his usual laid-back manner "We'd better move this elsewhere or else Suzuka-chan might hit us." Nagi hopped on the back of an Orphan resembling a griffin, and while Nao lashed out with her webs, a surprisingly agile Orphan that resembled a rhino with hedgehog spines charged, and was wrapped up and sliced apart instead. Nao and Midori climbed on Julia and Gakutenou, and leaped after Nagi as he descended to a lower level.

"I don't know who your boss is, but I guess it's not this Usurper guy, is it?" Nao said to Nagi. "Maybe it's the Obsidian Lord?"

"Does it matter?" Nagi said, unusually irritated. "You Himes no longer factor into our plans, and seem determined to stop us no matter what, so we're going to have to deal with you here."

"Defeating you has been our objective all along," Midori said, tossing her Element and beheading Nagi's mount. "Once he's dealt with, Nao-chan, you go help Natsuki-chan and Yukino-chan, while I go to assist Shiho-chan."

"Got it," Nao said.

Nagi then unleashed a large group of Orphans. A large bull with a humanoid body, resembling the Minotaur, charged at Midori, but she plowed through it with Spiral Dash after containing another one that had the head of a lion, a humanoid torso and the body of a snake in a tornado, which ripped it to pieces. Midori passed under the legs of a large daddy longlegs-like Orphan, tossing her Element so that it severed the legs on her right, then quickly braked and jammed the tip into the falling head, which resembled a frog. The head split apart and disintegrated, along with the rest of the Orphan.

Nao, turning to the ones behind Midori, saw a giant plant-like Orphan sprouting from the ground, spewing poisonous fumes. Holding her breath, Nao swung her Element, slicing off the vines and stalks the plant had. As the fragments of the Orphan's main body fell to the ground, the roots slowly disintegrated, leaving nothing behind.

Seeing that the relatively powerful Orphans were no challenge to the Himes, Nagi decided to switch tactics and overwhelm them with numbers. A large orphan that resembled a rat with the wings of a fly came forth. Midori's first attack, while bisecting the Orphan as intended, did not kill the monster, but instead caused it to burst into countless smaller copies of itself.

Nao webbed a small group of the copies, and Midori managed to cleave a few with swift strikes of her Element. But as Nao noticed a large elephant-like Orphan with a tortoise shell in the distance, easily Nagi's largest and strongest Orphan in this fight, she realized that they would likely soon be overwhelmed.

* * *

As Shiho stood in front of Makoto, she was nearly overcome by conflicting emotions. Her perception of Mai was rarely a fixed thing, and had gone through several 90 and 180 degree turns. Mai had gone from a mere acquaintance to a friend, from a friend to a perceived deceitful romantic rival, and then from an enemy to a victim of her actions who was willing to forgive her. How much of this did this imposter know? And which role was she trying to emulate? Did Shiho mean anything to her beyond being an enemy to be defeated?

But none of this mattered now. Shiho had to defeat Mai's doppelganger here or her teammates would likely be overwhelmed by the if a new combatant arrived on the side of their enemies.

"Yatagarasu!" Shiho shouted. Realizing from her experience that direct attacks on Mai would be pointless given Mai's shield ability, she had Yatagarasu fire its laser directly at Kagutsuchi's imitator, hoping to disable her opponent's powers. Unfortunately, Makoto was quicker on her reaction than Shiho had expected, flying to intercept the beam. The laser bounced off Makoto's shield at an angle, turning downward and causing an explosion on impact.

As Kagutsuchi's imitator readied a blast, Shiho scrambled to her right and dove as it hit. The blast exploded and the heat washed over Shiho, making her feel as though she were near a hot oven. At this point, Shiho's weakness became clear to both her and Makoto; she had no ability to shield her Child, or even engage in combat on her own. And Shiho realized that unlike Mai, Makoto had no reason to hold back or fight for any reason except for destroying Shiho's Child and killing her.

"Why are you doing this?" Shiho said. "Who are you fighting for, really?"

"The Usurper, of course," Makoto said. "He'll give me the future I desire with Nagi-kun, and Nagi-kun will finally be a good person, just as I wanted to save him."

"Nagi's using you just like he used me in the past!" Shiho said.

"Maybe he is!" Makoto said. "But one day, he'll become the kind of person who won't want to use people anymore!"

Shiho understood the desire to change someone for the better. After Yuuichi had been injured, he was directionless and lethargic at best, and irascible and bitter at worst. Staying by his side during those days and hoping his emotional injury, if not his physical one, would heal was a difficult act of patience, like waiting in the rain for someone who was late and might never come. Nevertheless, Shiho persisted and Yuuichi was grateful for it. But Shiho had not changed Yuuichi, only restored him to the person he had once been, and could not gain his affections.

"You can't hope to change him that much!" Shiho shouted. "And how can you love someone if you're not able to accept them for who they are?"

Makoto's only rebuttal was a glare and another attack. Kagutsuchi's imitator fired a blast of flame at Shiho, but Yatagarasu fired back with a gust of strong wind, dissipating the impact and causing it to slow down long enough for Shiho to evade it, and for it to explode harmlessly.

As Kagutsuchi's imitator readied another attack of comparable strength, not even fazed by the failure of the last attack, Shiho realized that it was only thanks to Mai's mercy and Yukino's intervention that she and her Child had survived the last battle with Mai. But now, rather than out of spite and unrequited love, she was fighting for others as well, and could not afford to lose in this battle.

* * *

Shizuru and the Usurper's duel continued, with Shizuru taking another high swing at her opponent, forcing him to block and halt his advance. Her strategy was to keep her opponent on the defensive to prevent him from injuring her or Mai, but not strike him down so that Reito would remain unharmed. But even managing this much was more difficult than she had imagined. The Usurper not only controlled Reito and the Obsidian Lord, but also had access to the Obsidian Lord's skill with a sword. His blade was ordinary, but his experience made his defense almost impenetrable. And, as Shizuru realized when the Usurper grew confident enough to go on the offensive, quickly striking in some of Shizuru's less guarded areas and forcing her to desperately parry, she was by no means able to fend off all his attacks.

Mai had the opposite problem when facing Mikoto. Her defenses were holding up well against Mikoto's assault, but she was quite limited offensively. Her and Shizuru's Childs were clashing against Miroku, which dodged their fireballs and bursts of acid, and knocked aside the seven heads that closed in for the attack. And Mai herself had few direct offensive abilities of her own, and no way to get across to Mikoto that she knew of at the moment, or to press the attack without severely injuring or killing her.

As Mai blocked a blow aimed at her neck and Shizuru knocked aside a fierce thrust by the Usurper, they both pondered that their opponents were no longer the people they once knew- the extremely perky and outgoing girl with the voracious appetite, and the witty and charismatic vice president of the student council. Finding a way to get through to them was difficult enough, and the fact that the Usurper and Mikoto were attacking with the intent to kill while Mai and Shizuru struggled to find a solution only exacerbated the problem.

Miroku's battle against Kagutshuchi and Kiyohime continued off in the distance, as it dodged one of Kagutsuchi's fireballs, then quickly did an about-face and blocked Kiyohime's attempt to attack it from behind. While Shizuru and Mai's main concern was dealing with Mikoto and Reito, they also realized that were their Childs to be defeated, Yuuichi and Natsuki would die, and Miroku would be free to attack them or their allies.

The battle had an unstable equilibrium at the moment. Both sides realized that they would have to break it in order to emerge triumphant.

* * *

Shiho leaped onto Yatagarasu, and quickly soared into the air, dodging another of Makoto's fireballs. Kagutsuchi's imitator soared above her, retaining the advantage of height, and Shiho dove below the center platform to deny Kagutsuchi's imitator the line of sight. Her effort paid off, as a fireball struck the platform, just where Makoto had predicted she would fly. Shiho quickly whipped around the rock and shot upwards, firing another laser beam at Kagutsuchi. The shot was a direct hit and the Child fell out of the sky along with Makoto, who struggled to right herself in the air.

"_Who will pay the price of my victory if this girl is imitating Mai-san?"_ she wondered, as a brief moment of respite allowed doubt to come into her mind. _"Mikoto? Takumi-kun? Onii-chan?"_

But Kagutsuchi's imitator did not perish, and Shiho hastily fired a volley of feathers to prevent its counterattack. The imitation of Kagutsuchi folded its wings and blocked the attack, causing the feathers to burn up upon impact. Barely even fazed, Makoto and her Child resumed their attack.

Shiho was buying time when she could, but she soon realized she would eventually run out unless some of the others won their battles and arrived to help her. But her survival was likely what they would need to continue standing against their opponents, and she had no choice but to persist.

Makoto glanced over to Nagi, and smiled with satisfaction as he and his armies of Orphans were, at the very least, fending off their enemies. Once she won, Makoto thought, she could easily save him and please him once again by defeating his enemies. And when the others won their battles, he would finally be with her forever.

Unbeknownst to Makoto, she was concerned about the wrong person's battle.

* * *

Komokuten once again dodged Duran's attacks as it wildly fired lasers, missing both of them by at minimum, a meter, and Natsuki soon realized the battle was a stalemate. The wildly aimed lasers had little hope of hitting her or Yukino, but Suzuka and Komokuten were too easily evading their enemies' attacks. Duran fired a shower of icicles from at Suzuka in a rare moment of vulnerability, only for her to smash them all into pieces with her Element.

"Isn't there anything we can do?" Natsuki said.

"I have an idea!" Yukino said. "I'll bind Komokuten with Diana, and you take a shot with Duran."

"But if she's like Suzushiro, you might…" Natsuki began.

"I know there's a chance," Yukino said, quivering slightly. "But I know that's not Haruka-chan, and we must defeat her to put an end to the SUEs' plans!"

Yukino knew that a small amount of fear in her would never abate. But while she knew she could not completely rid herself of fear, she could master it, and ensure that it would not prevent her from doing what she knew she had to do.

Natsuki merely nodded in response.

"Understood," she said. "Duran! Load Silver Cartridge! Fire!"

Duran fired Silver Cartridges at Komokuten's current location, a feint designed to force it into the air. As Komokuten leaped, Yukino noticed the destination, on a lower platform near where Suzuka was standing and immediately summoned several of Diana's vines to ensnare it. Komokuten immediately began struggling against Diana's grip and Suzuka began swinging her mace to cut through the tentacles. Within a few seconds, they would have been free.

But a few seconds was all that Natsuki needed.

"Duran! Load Silver Cartridge!" Fire!"

"Impossible!" Suzuka yelled, frozen in disbelief. She realized she had lost, and saw no further point in resisting. Yukino sadly shook her head as she realized that this girl was not the Haruka she admired, the girl who refused to give up even when outmatched, her best friend, and the one whose determination and courage inspired her to push herself further.

_"I'm sorry, whoever you are," _Yukino thought. _"But the Haruka-chan I know wouldn't want me to back down or abandon my friends at a time like this."_

The two Silver Cartridges each flew towards Suzuka and her Child, causing a massive explosion that consumed both of them. As the smoke and green flames cleared, nothing remained.

Natsuki took a moment to stare at where her opponent had once been. She, like Yukino, could not help but think of Haruka when she looked at Suzuka. Natsuki had never gotten along with Haruka, but she was able to respect her persistence after talking with Yukino. And Natsuki wondered whether Suzuka ever knew or thought of herself as a copy of Haruka, the person someone thought Haruka should be, or whether she thought of herself as her own individual.

_"So you couldn't become a perfect copy of Suzushiro in the end," _Natsuki thought. _"If only you'd chosen to go down your own path..."_

Natsuki's mind then turned to more immediate concerns.

"We did it, Yukino," Natsuki said, turning to Yukino. "But are you..."

A moment passed and both noticed that nothing was happening to Yukino.

"I... I'm all right." Yukino said, somewhat surprised at her survival of Suzuka's Child being destroyed. If Suzuka was imitating Haruka, then surely she would also imitate Haruka's friendship with her, but Yukino realized that it was perhaps yet another detail the imposter had forgotten. Yukino then turned to look at something in the corner of her eye, and realized that she had an answer to her question.

"Kuga-san, over there!" she said, pointing toward Shiho and Makoto.

* * *

As Shiho fled from Makoto and Kagutsuchi's imitator again, she looked back and saw Kagutsuchi's imitator inhaling, the preparation for another blast of flame that would happen in seconds. Shiho knew this time that she was too close to evade the attack or find cover, and there was not enough time to counterattack; she could only hope to somehow survive it. And if she failed, the boy she loved but could never have would perish. She had come close to that point because of her own actions, and the thought of it happening terrified her.

_"Onii-chan...!"_ Shiho thought, consumed with despair.

In that same moment, though, Makoto suddenly halted her attack, clutching her chest in pain, as she began to fade into green sparks. She gazed over to where Suzuka had been fighting Natsuki and Yukino, and saw the green sparks that were all that remained of Suzuka's Child.

It immediately occurred to her why this was happening. She had never understood why Suzuka had liked her so much, especially when it seemed to be the result of who she was pretending to be, rather than who she was. And now, in spite of not knowing why, she was dying because of that one-sided and superficial bond.

"Dammit, Suzuka!" Makoto shrieked in despair. "Why me? Why me?"

As Makoto vanished, Kagutsuchi's imitator fell to earth, consumed by green flames, like phoenixes do at the time of their deaths. But unlike phoenixes, or even the original Kagutsuchi once had, the imitation would never rise again.

Shiho breathed a sigh of relief. Even if Mai's imitator- more misguided and her enemy by virtue of her belief that it was necessary to get what she want than evil- had to die, Yuuichi was once again safe, and they were one step closer to victory against the Obsidian Lord and Usurper.

_"It might have been luck that saved me," _Shiho thought. _"But this time, I was able to protect someone else rather than fighting while motivated by my own jealousy and selfishness."_

* * *

Nagi grimaced in frustration as Nao's webs slowed down the large Orphan, halting its charge long enough for Midori to plow through it with Spiral Dash. The small flying rats had been reduced in number to the point at which they were nuisances, so Nagi had to release more Orphans.

Suddenly, though, he saw Makoto's Child in flames. He gritted his teeth, as his task had gotten considerably more difficult, but reasoned that three opponents would not be much more difficult than two.

He was immediately proven wrong as a sudden wracking pain surged through his chest, and he felt short of breath. In that moment, he understood what it meant. However superficial or naïve Makoto's crush on him was, he had become her most important person and had to pay the price for her defeat, the same as so many other most important people whose participation In the Carnivals was as unwilling as that of the Himes who loved them.

Nagi laughed helplessly. He'd always been in control, but a group of powerful yet incompetent girls had subverted the rules of his Carnival, and thanks to a trick of fate, he was dying from the result of one of his own manipulations.

Nagi's laughter reached a crescendo as he began to disintegrate, and then echoed away as even his head and mouth vanished into dust.

Within moments, Midori had sliced off the head of a giraffe-like Orphan with a flexible neck, and Nao, swinging the energy strands from her claws, had shredded a seahorse-like Orphan with octopus tentacles. They looked around the area that was once filled with their enemies, realizing that the last of the Orphans had fallen and Nagi would not be around to summon any more.

Shortly afterward, Shiho landed near them on Yatagarasu's back, and Yukino and Natsuki came to a stop nearby. All of them understood the significance; that they were standing here together meant that they had been victorious in their respective battles.

Only Mikoto and the Usurper remained.

* * *

The Usurper looked around at the vanishing people and the now unoccupied Himes. They were intended to be his last chance to defeat the Himes and win, and yet they had failed like all the others who had come before them.

Just who were these Himes? Why had they come so far against the SUEs, who were designed to be superior to them, to gain control of their world and force everyone to accept his rule? And why wouldn't they accept what he had to offer? He had offered them the ability to overcome their flaws, fulfillment for all their desires, and freedom from what caused them pain in their lives. He had expected the Himes to capitulate to him without resistance or fall easily, and now he stood on the brink of defeat.

This wasn't fair, he thought. Because of the power he had, and because he believed he deserved what he sought, he thought that his task of eliminating the Himes or forcing them into submission to gain control of the world should have been an easy one. He should not have had to struggle this much for his victory; he should have been exempt from having to try hard like the Himes.

_"Is HE helping them out again!?" _the Usurper wondered, desperately trying to find some explanation for why he was in this predicament. _"Was everything part of his plan?"_

He barely blocked Shizuru's horizontal slice, being forced to take a step back in the process. He was fighting on roughly even footing with her, but before long, would likely face the rest of her allies. His minions' failure, both in the final battle and those that came before it had cost him dearly.

"Damn them!" he snarled. "Damn them all!"

Mai continued fending off Mikoto, but despair set into her mind. Similar to her battle with Shiho, this was a fight that she could not win by slaying her enemy, but in this case, the person she was trying to save and the person who was fighting against her were one and the same. The only way to win was to convince her opponent to stand down but how could she do so? What could she do apart from fighting back?

Suddenly, the solution became clear to Mai.

Mai stood in front of Mikoto, opening her arms wide, defenseless against any sword strike but willing to accept Mokoto. The Mikoto who served the Obsidian Lord would take the opportunity to strike down a defenseless enemy. But the Mikoto whom Mai had befriended over the past months would never do such a thing to the person she cherished most.

"Mikoto!" Mai called out, in time for Mikoto's sword to slide just under her left armpit without cutting her. She then placed her arms around Mikoto in an embrace as they flew through the air. "I love you, Mikoto!"

Mikoto's pendant, the symbol of her servitude to the Obsidian Lord, shone brightly with purple light, then vanished, as did the last vestiges of the Obsidian Lord's brainwashing of and control over her.

Mai's words had reached Mikoto. Her best friend had come back to her.

As the two collapsed to their knees on the ground, locked in an embrace, the Usurper and Shizuru looked on in surprise at what had transpired, resulting in an informal and unspoken cease-fire as they stood several paces from each other, their heads turned toward the scene. The Usurper looked on in shock- the last ally loyal to him had broken free of her brainwashing, which both he and the Obsidian Lord had relied on to control her, and refused to aid the evil beings possessing her brother's body. Suddenly, the Usurper's surprise gave way to violent rage, and he surged forward and swung his sword violently, forcing Shizuru down as she hastily blocked with the handle.

"Tokiha-san! Mikoto-chan!" she called out.

As Shizuru fell off-balance, able to defend herself but not pursue the Usurper, the Usurper charged after Mai and Mikoto. Mai quickly leaped off Mikoto and blocked the Usurper's first strike with her shield. They were forced backward, and Shizuru got up and approached the Usurper from behind, but he noticed her approach, turning and keeping her in the corner of his eye.

"There's still time, Mai-san," the Usurper said, more desperately than he wanted to sound. "Accept me and after disposing of those other Himes and that traitor Mikoto, you will reign over the perfect new world as my wife!"

"Didn't you hear what we said?" Mai retorted. "To hell with your new world that is only perfect for you! We'll decide our own future!"

"Then die!" the Usurper said.

As the Usurper then charged in for another attack and Shizuru raised her Element to attempt to non-fatally wound him, Mikoto suddenly charged at the Usurpers from his side, thrusting her sword outward. The Usurper's sword grazed Mikoto's right side, but Mikoto's sword cut the Usurper on the wrist, and stabbed the pendant around his neck.

"How… could I lose to someone like…" The Usurper said.

"Ani-ue…" Mikoto said. "Let's go… together."

The siblings collapsed to the ground, injured but in no immediate danger of dying, as purple fire burned near the Usurper's host body, forcing it and the Obsidian Lord out of Reito, and revealing their true forms in the process.

The Obsidian Lord's true form was several stories tall and looked more like something carved, sculpted or forged than a living being. A large eye with a black pupil, with two large blades above and below it, rose in the center of the area. There was a red substance, similar to a clump of nerves, on it, but it quickly began withering. The Usurper's minions had fallen, he himself had been defeated and forced from Reito's body, and now there was nothing else for him to try, nowhere else for him to turn, no escape from his fate.

"I am the Obsidian Lord," the eye said. "You, who have sought to usurp my power, have laid claims to things you do not own. And yet, even with that stolen power, you have failed to defeat the Himes. You are nothing- Begone!"

The Obsidian Lord's gaze turned to the Usurper, who began to disappear at an even faster pace. What remained of its body sped toward Mai, seeking her as his new host body, but she quickly set up her energy shield, and he split into even smaller pieces upon hitting it. The last thing he saw through the vision granted by his powers was Mai looking at him, her expression not filled with hatred, but with pity. To her, he had done terrible things and allowed tragedies to happen, but at his heart, he was simply a small and weak creature who sought to control the world rather than rise above adversity or change himself.

As the Usurper faded away, disintegrating into nothingness, his last thoughts lamented his destruction at the hands of the power he sought to control.

_"This world... was meant... to be mine..."_ he thought.

The only combatants remaining were the originally intended participants of the Hime Carnival. And the time had come to determine a victor.

Mai, seeing only one enemy remaining, prepared to strike down the Obsidian Lord. She sent Kagutsuchi, idle since Mikoto accepted her trust and friendship and had called off Miroku, into position to fire at the Obsidian Lord.

"The Usurper might have tried to subvert the Hime Carnival, but you're the one who started it in the first place," Mai said. "And now it's time to bring it to an end!"

Mai then prepared to attack.

"Kagutsuchi!" she shouted, but to no avail. Six eyes, outlined by lines of light, appeared near the Obsidian Lord, and another appeared on the sword in Kagutsuchi's head, forcing it to abort its attack

"As long as the Hime Star and Miroku exist, I am invincible!" the Obsidian Lord shouted. "You might have thwarted the Usurper, but your destiny was written in stone when you were born into the world as Himes! You cannot defeat me!"

Elsewhere, inside the cavern, the eleven pillars cracked, and the life energy of the dead was absorbed into the Hime Star, causing It to glow green.

"No one's invincible, Obsidian Lord!" a voice came from behind Mai. Mai immediately recognized it as Midori's. "Not us, not the SUEs, not the Usurper, not even you!"

As Mai looked over to the Hime Star, she saw her allies flying over to reach it, each astride her Child, while Shizuru looked on near her position.

"We've got this, Mai-chan! Shizuru-chan!" Midori shouted at the top of her lungs, her voice barely reaching them. "Just finish off the Obsidian Lord and that Child!"

"Got it!" Mai said.

"Spiral Dash!" Midori shouted, as Gakutenou rushed forward, punching a large hole in the Star.

"Yatagarasu!" Shiho shouted, firing a laser, bisecting the Star and cutting through the hole

"Diana!" Yukino shouted. Vines sprouted from the ground, wrapped around the Star through the cut in it, and began to pull the Star apart. The remaining halves began to crack and splinter under the strain.

"Julia!" Nao shouted as her Child fired webs that bound the halves in place in an attempt to prevent them from reuniting.

"Duran! Load Silver Cartridge! Fire" Natsuki shouted. "Fire!" Two shells struck each half and exploded, causing the Star to break apart into many pieces, which began to disintegrate.

The Obsidian Lord's eye widened in horror as the Hime Star shattered into pieces. Like the Usurper, he had set himself up as master of the game, and now was being outplayed by those he had sought to control in order to gain control of the world.

"What happened? The Hime Star…" he said in disbelief. Miroku rushed to defend him, but Shizuru, standing atop Kiyohime, intercepted Miroku.

Mai and Shizuru then stood ready to perform the finishing blows on him and Miroku.

"Kiyohime!" Shizuru said, as she, on her Child, let loose the whip blade of her naginata, slicing three times and cutting Miroku into six pieces, each of which was seized by one of Kiyohime's heads and devoured.

Mai then flew into the air, standing face to face with the architect behind the Carnival, the one who sought to control the world, and whose power the Usurper and the SUEs had tried to steal. There was no hesitation in her as she moved to end the cycle of tragedy that had unfolded many times in the past.

"**KAGUTSUCHI!"** she shouted with all her might.

Kagutsuchi's largest fireball yet surged from its mouth and enveloped the Obsidian Lord's eye. Like a meteorite burning up on entry into the atmosphere, the Obsidian Lord was thrown backwards many meters as he was incinerated by the sheer force of the attack, his eye locked in an expression of horror and disbelief.

As the last remnants of the Hime Star faded away, the Himes landed on the shores near Fuuka, watching the darkened sky turn into that of the afternoon. They saw each of their Childs shine and slowly fade into the wind, like those of their defeated enemies had, but they did not see it as a sign of despair or impending death for their loved ones, as they realized what it truly signified.

They had won. The battles of the Himes had ended.

* * *

**Author's Note**

The Obsidian Lord struck me as a relatively weak final villain, whose only great advantage over the Himes lay in his ability to manipulate the course of events so that only one Hime would remain. I also doubt that he, in Reito's body, would pose much of a challenge to the Himes if not for their reluctance to injure Reito (I substituted Yuuichi with Shizuru for this fight because she wields a bladed weapon, she also knows him, and if the Himes entered as a group, it is less likely Yuuichi would have to come along).

Additionally, it seems fitting that the Usurper is someone who has no power of his own, and has to borrow that of others, by means of controlling a character's body, as a representative of someone who uses Mary Sues.

The Himes having to fight the last two SUEs, as well as Nagi and his Orphans, in addition to the Obsidian Lord (now possessed by the Usurper) and Mikoto partly came about as a requirement of having more people present for the final battle, and partly to comment on the Usurper being forced to have his SUEs imitate the canon characters now that the first-generation SUEs were defeated.

Nagi's downfall comes from the fatal flaw of trying to use a Hime or a SUE in his plan; if she is defeated, you likely will be as well. I also have to wonder whether Ishigami's plan would have been ruined if someone defeated Yukariko.

As you may have guessed, Yukariko, Ishigami, Nagi, Alyssa, Miyu, the SUEs and their most important people, and everyone else who died in the story (Hitomi's victims, the First District, and so forth) are all dead, and unlike in canon, will not come back to life. The death toll of canon characters here is significantly lower than in the anime before the mass resurrection, partly because the circumstances leading up to them did not happen, and I wanted the non-villainous character deaths to have more impact by being relatively rare.

The final battle has ended, but two more chapters will come for the main story, elaborating on the true nature of the conflict and revealing what will happen to the characters now that the battle has concluded.


	24. Revelations

**Chapter 24: Revelations**

"So… what happens now?" Mai asked as the group of former Himes stood in the gardens. The group had taken Mikoto and Reito to Yoko's office for medical attention; she was one of the few staff members staying on campus. They had then convened a meeting to discuss what to do in the aftermath of the battle, during which the more time-consuming and complicated, but less life-threatening or urgent task of returning Fuuka Academy to normal would begin.

"I suppose we find the Director, contact everyone and let them know the school can reopen," Midori said. "After that… it's out of our hands whether they believe us or if anyone actually comes back."

"Congratulations," the Advisor said, suddenly appearing before them. "You have not only triumphed over the rules of the Hime Carnival itself, slain its mastermind and managed to do so with most of you still alive... but you have also defeated several of my most powerful creations."

A moment passed as the true significance of what the Advisor had said dawned on the group.

They then collectively gasped in horror as they realized the true identity of their mysterious informer.

"You… you're the one who created the SUEs?" Natsuki said.

"You are only partially correct," the Advisor said. "I am a representative of the one who actually made the SUEs; my true name is the Avatar. The one you fought against, the Usurper, was leader of the SUEs, but he did not create them."

"But why are you doing such a thing?" Mai said. "The Usurper wanted to take over the world, but what would you have to gain by making the SUEs and putting someone else in charge?"

"It was intended as a test of their abilities," The Avatar said. "I wished to see whether SUEs would be able to win when they no longer had an overwhelming advantage over their enemies, and created the Usurper as the representation of someone who would create and use SUEs to twist a world into his own image."

The Avatar summoned forth a holographic screen with a party of role-playing video game heroes facing a dragon.

"This is a group of heroes, far weaker individually than the dragon, and even combined, are at a lower than ideal level of strength for facing him. As a result, they will have to fight well and think cleverly to survive. The dragon might be strong, but he relies on brute force."

The battle played out as though it were being fast-forwarded. The party's health fluctuated, and some members fell to the dragon, but their companions revived them. At times the party barely survived, and in large part because the rogue, lacking the strength of the fighter or the spells of the healer or wizard, had used an ability to decrease the dragon's attack and the warrior had attracted the dragon's physical attacks, enabling them to keep the vulnerable magic users alive so that the healer could heal the group and the wizard could do the bulk of the damage. Finally, after a few brushes with total defeat, the party prevailed.

"You are all powerful in your own right, but your victories required strategy, determination and teamwork," the Avatar said. "SUEs have the luxury of not having to worry about those things, because they not only have power, but also a safety net of sorts that saves them from, and also is an enabling factor for, their mistakes. They don't need people whose strengths complement their own if they are the best at everything they do and have more strength and versatility individually than most groups do combined. If they are perfect, they need not better themselves, and if they can win effortlessly, they do not need to try at all. Watch to see what happens when the SUEs have this protection and when they do not"

Two screens of similar parties facing the dragon appeared. One was like the first, but the other had all the heroes at the top of their ability. The differences between the heroes in the latter were meaningless; the magic users were as strong as the fighter, the fighter could now use offensive and healing magic, and the rogue, like the other classes, had all the abilities of the others in addition to his own. The second battle concluded quickly; after a round of devastating physical attacks from the entire party, the dragon tried to use its strongest attack on them, only for it to do almost no damage and for it to be killed in the healer's next physical attack. Meanwhile, on the first screen, the fighter and the rogue were using physical attacks, oblivious to the dead wizard and healer, or the fact that a few rounds later, they would be joining them.

"Had the SUEs attacked you with your level of competence and their abilities, it is likely that at least some of you, as well as your loved ones, would be dead," the Avatar said. "Each of them had a few uses of their power that they did not know about; for example, as long as Toki's Child survived, she could have rewound time until she became powerful and skilled enough to take you all on. But they were careless, confident in their superiority, complacent out of a false belief in their invincibility, and would not have worked well as a team, with differing motives and clashing personalities. So here you stand, with most of you having survived the Carnival, while all of them have been defeated and killed."

"Why make them in such a way if we can only win if they're careless?" Midori asked the Avatar.

"I created the SUEs, but in the image of people like them were already in existence," the Avatar said. "They exist in worlds beyond yours, like the one your Otome counterparts came from. They include people who have everyone else fighting over them despite being insufferable; artists, writers, musicians and other people with incredibly popular but poorly made works; and warriors who are able to effortlessly defeat extremely powerful opponents despite being, as mentioned before, careless and having unrefined battle strategies. The 'natives' of those worlds either fall over those individuals in admiration or fall to them in battle as proof of their magnificence, having been reduced to shells of their former selves by the SUEs' creators; part of the SUEs' ability to rise to the top of their respective worlds depends on their potential rivals being sabotaged. The Usurper and his SUEs sought to change the world because the SUEs can only survive in an artificially maintained environment where they are perceived as their creators wish them to be."

"What are you saying?" Nao said. "Are people supposed to… like those SUES?"

"Precisely," the Avatar said. "For example, Hitomi would be seen as a liberated individual who is not afraid to do as she pleases instead of a psychotic mass murderer and Shizune would be seen as a pious soldier of her faith rather than a genocidal religious zealot. Their promised reward upon their victory was to be given a world where they would be seen as they wished to be, and their desires, varying from SUE to SUE. But you showed them that, in a world when they were to be judged and treated as anyone else was, they would be unable to achieve victory, and thus, they failed their test."

The Himes paused a moment, reflecting on what they had been told. Suddenly it became clear why the SUEs appeared to be outsiders in the Fuuka Academy community. It was also clear why their values seemed to be so alien from the ones the Himes possessed, not just from Japan, but even basic tenets of civilized society. They had been created to be adapted to a world that would be suited to all their needs, like a fish in an aquarium, and now that they were dropped out of their environment onto an unforgiving one unsuited to them, they struggled and eventually died, like fish trying and failing to breathe air like humans or humans drowning while submerged in water.

But who would make such individuals who could only live in an environment tailored to cater to all their need? Perhaps someone who wished to live in such an environment?

"Could it be that their creators made them as an extension of themselves, free to live the way their creators wished to?" Shizuru said. "Or is it that their creators cannot imagine anyone with deeper or more complex personalities than those?"

"Both are valid interpretations, either of which could apply in a given case," the Avatar said. "But the most important thing is what you said earlier. You, who have been forced to struggle against your own flaws, triumphed over enemies meant to be flawless. You chose to preserve this imperfect world that does not always grant your wishes over one in which everything goes as you desire. This was a realization that none of the SUEs or the Usurper had made."

"And what would have happened to them if they had succeeded?" Midori said.

"If a SUE had succeeded in defeating you, or, in some cases, accomplished their individual goal without your interference, she would have become possessed by the Usurper and turned into his vessel for recreating the world. They took turns scheming against you, and any of those who lost, like Toki, would have been killed by the next SUEs to step up. They were not sent out in a group because their conflicting goals and personalities would have caused them to turn on each other, and likely kill each other in a bloody bout of infighting. He saw them as nothing more than tools; one being defeated was a setback to him, but as long as he was able to send out another and that one had a chance of succeeding, it was not a fatal one."

The Himes reflected on his words. The SUEs all had disparate and sometimes mutually exclusive agendas, but now that the Avatar spoke of them this way, they now realized that they could be considered pawns for their creator or controller's purposes. So too were the ones who inspired their creation and even the Avatar himself, it was as though his creator, rather than he himself, was talking. If the Usurper hoped to take control of a SUE, having one with little personality would make it an easy task. And if they were regarded as tools, their creator would not give them any gifts or favors unrelated to ensuring that they served their purpose.

"So the SUEs had no choice in fighting?" Yukino said.

"They were created for that purpose, and as a result, they- with the exception of Mariko, who did not have to fight- wholeheartedly embraced it, along with the possibility of having to kill you should it come to that- or in Hitomi's case, for the mere fun of it," the Avatar said. "SUEs are often fiercely devoted to their goals to the point of being blind to their effect on others. Toki in particular was willing to risk a temporal paradox for the sake of someone she did not truly know but was deeply infatuated with, in a future that was never meant to be and could not have come to pass without her interference. There was no possible way for this contest to have ended without you or the SUEs killing the other group, unless the SUEs had succeeded in their goals. But you refused to allow that, as you should, since it would have meant that your world would have been twisted and reshaped according to the SUEs' desires, and you made it clear that it wasn't acceptable."

Mai thought back to what she had said as she had passed by the pillars- representing the casualties of the conflict, the ones the SUEs had loved, and proof that the Himes and the SUEs were, while different in many ways, fundamentally similar in others. Perhaps in that sense, she was indeed correct that the SUEs were pitiful. They were half-formed individuals, dedicated fiercely to a goal or living out an ideal. They were what their creator wished to be, and did what their creator wanted to do. Many had done or sought to do terrible things, but it was as though they did not know better, and were not instilled with the capacity to learn. In retrospect, their having to kill the SUEs was tragic, even more so in that it was made inevitable by virtue of who they were. Mai had heard of children whose parents had thrust their failed dreams on them, and seeing the apparent parallel with what the Avatar and people like him had done disgusted her.

"And this is all some sort of game or experiment to you?" Mai said. "People died in this battle, not just SUEs! Over 20 people lost their lives to Kirihara-san! Sister Yukariko gave her life to eliminate Ishigami-sensei! Who knows how many other people suffered in a battle they did not choose to enter? And you used our world for your own experiment! You're no different from the SUEs and the Usurper!"

The rest of the group nodded to concur with Mai, while the Avatar remained impassive.

"It was done so that I could observe how things would work out between you and the SUEs, making it more a result of the battle reaching its natural conclusion" the Avatar said. "The SUEs killed people and tried to kill you because they, by nature, had no qualms with doing so, and died because their flaws prevented them from winning. And now that this contest has reached its natural result, my involvement here is coming to an end."

"It sure is," Natsuki said with a smirk. "I'm going to be putting a stop to you and your experiments."

"That's quite simply impossible," the Avatar said calmly. "There are several reasons, including that you no longer have your Hime powers."

Without a word, Natsuki reached inside her skirt and drew the handgun she had used on Shizune, pulling the trigger repeatedly, but the bullets stopped in midair while Natsuki continued to pull the trigger on the empty gun, the grim resolve in her expression giving away to shock and despair. Without even a twitch of a finger, or a word spoken, the Avatar caused all the bullets and the gun to disappear in a flash of light.

"Dammit..." Natsuki muttered. "How the hell did you do that?"

"This is why defeating me is truly impossible, and not in the way that is flippantly assigned to difficult tasks or tasks beyond one's ability," the Avatar said. "Even disregarding the myriad ways I have of defeating you instantly, I knew that you were carrying the gun, and when you planned to fire it. I have countless means of preventing the bullets from reaching their mark, and countless more of surviving their impact. Should you kill me, I can come back from the dead, and even if you utterly destroy me, it would only be like killing my creator's character in a video game. As my name implies, I am the avatar of my creator, who speaks through me and gives me the favor and protection the SUEs lack, and eliminates the vulnerability that enabled you to defeat them. What you're feeling now is likely the same despair and frustration that anyone who has ever gone up against the SUE's brethren has felt once aware of the true nature of their situation. By all rights, you should have won if I were a 'normal' human being, or even one like you, but because my creator wanted to demonstrate such a situation to you, you did not win- you _could_ _not_ _win_."

"If we can't stop you, then what can we do?" Mai said.

"You need not do anything," the Avatar said. "As I said earlier, this battle was for the fate of your world and to test yourselves. You have, against all odds, emerged triumphant and proven yourselves superior to the SUEs. As such, you will have the ability to live your lives in this world free from any additional interference, whether the Obsidian Lord's, mine, or that of anyone else. Goodbye, former Himes; the future belongs to you now."

With those words, the Avatar vanished, leaving the Himes to ponder what he had said and what they had learned. They had saved the world, but in the process, had learned much about it and themselves, and their lives would never be quite the same as they were before.

And so they wondered; where would their lives take them now?

* * *

**Author's Note: **Thank you for the reviews.

Regarding the twist with the Avatar, it's largely a natural extension of where the SUEs come from, and the confrontation would show how the Himes would react when faced with the person responsible for the conflict. Naturally, the Himes would be less than pleased with the idea that someone was creating people whose only purpose was to pervert the natural order of their world (or in the exceptionally compassionate Mai's case, creating individuals with such hollow and not truly fulfilling existences, who could only act selfishly and cause harm to others)..

You may notice the Avatar sometimes switching between speaking as my representative, and sometimes speaking as though I am speaking through him. This is intentional, and intended to represent author avatars sometimes getting to the point where they're called by their author's real names.

The SUEs are, as stated, facing the consequences of being thrust into a world for which they are not suited- in large part because the world is not made for them. By our standards, they would be considered quite selfish individuals, and their deeds, which they see as acceptable, would be seen as terrible crimes. Their fighting style is also based around the assumption that the Himes are less competent than they actually are, and the belief that they can, alone, defeat all the other characters combined. As such, the major point of the story regarding Mary Sues is while they seem invincible at first glance, they are ultimately only able to survive in a world designed to cater to their every need.

In conclusion, the SUEs' goals and the lengths they are willing to go to them put them at odds with the Himes, as well as civilized society itself. But they are human beings, albeit made in a way that causes the conflict to be inevitable, and so the Himes feel varying levels of remorse over having to kill them, despite accepting that it's to prevent their own deaths and even greater disasters.

Only one chapter remains in the main story; the ending. Thank you for staying with the story to this point, as it's coming to a close.


	25. What Tomorrow Brings

**Chapter 25: What Tomorrow Brings**

The next few months were a difficult time for Fuuka Academy, even though the world was no longer in peril. Mashiro, who had returned alongside Fumi after the final battle, had officially declared the school reopened, but not everyone was returning. Yamanaka Kasumi and her mother had departed, unable to bear the stigma from their relation to Officer Yamanaka. His name would never be cleared of his reputation as a murderer, which eclipsed all of his accomplishments as a police officer, with only his wife, his daughter, a handful of close friends and those aware of the truth believing that he could not have been guilty.

Other teachers and students refused to return because of safety concerns, and there were those who had gone missing in the conflict, slain by Hitomi or used as the sacrifices by the defeated SUEs. The returning students were thus wary, but with the student council's leadership, they began to accept that the crisis had passed. Suzushiro Construction worked on restoring the campus to normal, with the intention of building a stronger, better academy. And yet, a small wall near the entrance, with photos and posters about the missing and deceased, including links to a website and phone numbers that those with information could call, showed that many would not be able to enjoy peace's return.

Takamura Kyouji, Ishida Miho, Yamanaka Soichiro, Amane Taiga and Tatsuya, Yoshida Kyoko, Ishigami Wataru, Sanada Yukariko, and many others would never return. Those closest to them would always remember and miss them, but never find out the true reasons behind their passing. Akane and Kazuya had sworn never to forget Suou Mariko, who had died in Kazuya's place, as well as that, while it was not her choice, her death had allowed Kazuya to live on, enabling him and Akane to be happy together.

Many people in the Fuuka community's stories had ended. But among the survivors, many found their lives headed in a new direction.

* * *

"I see…" Akira said as she walked with Mai on the way to the lingerie shop, a few days after having returned to Japan with Takumi after his operation. Having rbeen abroad during the last stages of the Hime Carnival, she had been oblivious to many developments, such as the reason why her Hime birthmark vanished even though Takumi was still alive and why her art teacher was gone.

"I'm sorry, Akira-kun… I mean, -chan." Mai said. "You looked up to Ishigami-sensei, didn't you?"

"Yeah, but it's complicated," Akira said. "I mean, it'd be one thing if he was just another most important person and died just because Sister Yukariko happened to fall in love with him and then lost to someone. But to think he knew about this, and saw me as an obstacle to his selfish, evil plans…" Akira trailed off.

"Speaking of the carnival, how's your clan taking the winner-less outcome?' Mai asked.

"Surprisingly well, considering what the truth was- that only the Obsidian Lord could have won it and controlled the Hime Star, with the only alternative being destroying it and killing him," Akira said. "It seems anyone who wanted to control the Hime Star- Searrs, my clan, Ishigami-sensei- are nothing but fools." Contrary to Akira's stoic façade, Mai noticed a note of disappointment as Akira mentioned the latter two. "Although it would seem that my clan's foolishness, unlike that of the others, did not require death to cure," she continued, looking slightly relieved.

Mai simply replied with a nod, and the two walked in silence until they reached the store.

"Welcome!" Shizuru said, greeting them while dressed in the store employee uniform.

"Hello, President, we're here for a bra for her," Mai said.

"I won't be president much longer, Mai-san," Shizuru said, having relaxed her formality toward Mai somewhat over the past few months. "How about just 'Shizuru'?"

"Very well, Shizuru-san," Mai said. "But I appreciate that one of your last acts in office was to 'clarify the mistake' regarding Akira-chan's gender; she could have been in big trouble if it came out that she lied about her gender."

Shizuru, with Mashiro's help, had claimed that an error resulting from Akira's gender-neutral name had resulted in Akira being mistakenly enrolled as a boy. According to the cover story, Akira had tried to rectify the mistake, while hiding her gender for fear of being punished should the truth come to light. Akira, in response, merely had to obtain a female uniform and move out of Takumi's room.

"My pleasure," Shizuru said. "Right this way, Okuzaki-san."

"_Do I want to know how her counterpart found out I was a girl?" _Akira thought to herself as Shizuru "helped" her undress.

"This is no good, Okuzaki-san," Shizuru said. "You shouldn't bind your breasts like that, not when they could grow so large otherwise."

"Th-that was sort of the point," Akira said, blushing slightly.

* * *

Mai and Akira finished their business and then returned to campus. Suddenly, Akira broke off, prompting Mai to briefly wonder.

"Wait, where are you…" Mai began. "Ah, your new room's over there," she said as she remembered that Akira no longer lived in Takumi's dormitory room.

"I'll see you later, Mai," Akira said.

"Likewise, Akira-chan," Mai said.

Akira unlocked her door, where Yumemiya Arika, a new transfer student and her roommate, was waiting. She was an oddity, one of a very small number of students who had transferred into the school instead of out of it.

"Welcome back, Akira-chan!" Arika said pleasantly.

"Thanks, Arika," Akira said.

Perhaps Arika would never believe her stories about being a Hime, masquerading as a boy and everything she experienced. But Akira felt she could trust Arika now, instead of regarding everyone else as an enemy or someone who did not need to know.

For a long time, Akira's identity had worked against her. Her gender, if revealed, would make her a suspect for being a Hime, and potentially cost her the element of surprise. Her love for Takumi made him a potential target, as well as someone whose life depended on her success. But now the battle was over, and there were no longer any risks to being the person she was.

* * *

Eventually, the end of the school year approached, and by then, Fuuka Academy had largely returned to normal, or as close to normal as it would get. And yet, for many students, it was an end and a beginning, a time for them to move on to the next stage. Some would only move up a grade- even Natsuki, as a result of make-up work. Others, such as Mikoto, would move up into an entirely new school, but would remain part of the Fuuka Academy community. But still others, including Reito, Shizuru, Haruka and Takeda, would be moving on to university.

* * *

"I entertain a motion to adjourn the final Student Council meeting of the year," Shizuru said. "All those In favor, say 'aye.'"

A chorus of "Aye"s followed, and with it, the final meeting of the Student Council concluded. Reito and Shizuru excused themselves from the room, having people to see before their departure from campus. The rest of the attendees followed them, leaving Haruka and Yukino alone.

"It's been quite a year, hasn't it, Yukino?" Haruka said.

"Yes," Yukino said. "But I wish there'd been a little more time for us to spend together peacefully before you headed off to university; even after the Carnival ended, we had to do quite a bit of work getting the campus going again."

"At least we helped clean up this mess before the end," Haruka said. "It may not be up to beating the SUEs, the Usurper and the Obsidian Lord, but I did my part."

"Even so, we couldn't defeat the Avatar, or the one responsible for the creation of the SUEs," Yukino said. While she realized that she was able to go farther than she thought, she realized that there were limits to her abilities, and some things that were impossible for her or anyone else.

"Still, they typically had you at a disadvantage in one way or another and you showed them who was really strong by not giving up or buckling under," Haruka said. "You've come a long way this year, Yukino, and I've got some gifts to give to you." She then removed her armband and gave it to Yukino.

"Haruka-chan, are you sure…?" Yukino said.

"Quite," Haruka said. "The incoming student council and I thought you were the right girl for the job. I don't like their saying you're more tentative… than I am, but even I have to admit that it's true."

"Temperate?"

"Ah, that's it," Haruka said. "You'll be able to enforce the rules without having to crack down or be seen as a hard-ass of some sort."

"It's a tall order, but I'll do my best," Yukino said confidently.

"And…" Haruka said. "This one's for me as much as for you, to get rid of those irritating ribbons once and for all!"

Haruka then pulled out a signboard from under the desk and uncovered it, showing the caption, befitting herself in more ways than one.

"_No tying ribbons. Hopelessness comes from one's own effort"_

Yukino couldn't help but sigh and chuckle as she saw the sign. Some things about Haruka would never change.

* * *

"Is something on your mind, Natsuki?" Shizuru said as she approached Natsuki in the garden.

"This is where we first met," Natsuki said. "And it's also the place where we had our last meeting with the Advisor… I mean, the Avatar. He suggested there were people like the SUEs out there."

"But likely not in our world, if he is to be believed," Shizuru said. "Still, I have to wonder what sort of person would create such individuals, apart from the Avatar, who made them as part of an experiment."

"Perhaps someone who's rather pathetic and wants power, like the Usurper did, and thus needs to use someone to invade another world to get it," Natsuki said. "For example, Takeda could make himself a badass swordsman who could pick up any girl he wanted if he had similar abilities."

Shizuru giggled at Natsuki's blunt comment, before responding.

"Or, looking at him another way," she said, "their creators might be just as human as the rest of us. They have their flaws, but also the potential to overcome them and do something admirable in its own way that only they can do. Once they realize that, they can achieve real success in their respective worlds rather than molding ours and others like it to meet their desires."

"Still, Shizuru, you know Takeda better than I do," Natsuki said. "I've got a reputation around the school as some kind of cool loner, but only a handful of people really know me- you, Mai, Mikoto, Nao and maybe a few others." Natsuki could not help but smile slightly as she realized Nao was on the list. "All of you know that I'm not exactly the person everyone else thinks of; I'm just a bitter, lonely girl who tries to act tough to cover up the fact that I haven't gotten over my mother's death. Why would he- or anyone else- continue coming after me after even a glimpse of what lies beneath?"

Shizuru paused before responding.

"The Avatar said one thing I agree with, and one thing several of us expressed before the last battle," Shizuru said. "Being perfect or having something that is perfect are things people often strive for, but they are things that are impossible to reach. Not only is it difficult to define, but frankly, perfection is overrated. You never have to improve yourself, struggle against your weaknesses, or learn how to understand yourself or the ones you love. In fact, flaws make us complete; your reputation appealed to me at first, but when I saw your more vulnerable and awkward traits, I felt happy; not only did it feel as though you were letting me in, but you also seemed like a more complete person as I learned more about you."

"I'm not the only one who puts up a façade," Natsuki said. "Hundreds voted for you, yet the vast majority, possibly even those you work with every day on the Student Council, will never see you as anything other than the star student, the student council president and the model girl you seem to be. To me, you're the playful, sarcastic, slightly perverse, sometimes self-doubting person who's always been there for me, who's helped me to trust others again, and whom I love more than anyone."

"Oh, Natsuki…" Shizuru said, stepping closer to Natsuki. "I'll stay in touch at university, but I will miss you."

"I'll work hard." Natsuki said. "Now that my quest for revenge has completed, I'll be able to focus on my schoolwork. Hopefully, I'll be able to get into the same place as you in the future."

"That would be wonderful," Shizuru said. "For both our sakes, I'm wishing you the best of luck."

The two then shared a kiss, savoring the moment. Whatever happened in the future, wherever their paths led them, they had each other in this moment and had come to understand their love for each other. And so they would face whatever came next together.

* * *

"Do you really have to go, Ani-ue?" Mikoto said to Reito after his graduation ceremony.

"Unfortunately, yes, Mikoto; university calls," Reito said. "However, I'm tremendously happy that I was able to meet you in my last year here; if things had gone even slightly differently, the chance might have slipped through our fingers."

Reito and Mikoto, while recovering from their injuries in the days after the conclusion of the Carnival, had slowly established a bond as siblings. For Reito, this meant coming to terms with the presence of his younger sister in his life. For Mikoto, this meant accepting her brother as the person before her, not the distant, spoken-of figure she had sought all those years or the Obsidian Lord who had possessed him. He was not entirely the brother she imagined, but after realizing this, she was extremely happy to have him in her life.

"Besides, you're not the only person I'm leaving behind," Reito said, glancing at Mai.

"I'm sorry, Reito-san, I've chosen Yuuichi," Mai said. "Besides, my grades aren't exactly up to your university's standards."

"You're getting better, though; give yourself a bit more credit," Reito said playfully, before turning more serious. "But I suppose I'll have to come to terms with this, the same way Shiho-chan did for Tate-kun, and Takeda-kun did for Natsuki-san."

"Just give it a rest, Ani-ue," Mikoto said. "Even if Yuuichi weren't around, Mai is MINE!"

Reito chuckled at Mikoto's possessiveness toward Mai, but his mood turned serious as he began to think. He had been attracted to Mai since the first time she was called into the Student Council room, but how much of it was due to the Obsidian Lord within him? And when exactly did the Usurper come into play? But his time as the host for both of them was over, and he, like Mai and the other Himes, was now free to live his life as he saw fit.

Mai wondered about what impact the events of the Carnival would have on the lives of the Minagi siblings. Natsuki had said she had obtained most of the evidence relating to the attack on the First District headquarters in the aftermath of the Carnival, and hoped that no one would seek vengeance against either for what they did while Reito was possessed and Mikoto was brainwashed. In spite of everything that happened, and the fact that no one had walked away from their experiences unchanged, Mai hoped for the survivors of the Carnival to have as close to a normal life as their circumstances would allow.

* * *

Nao was walking back on the path to her dormitory room, passing by the rebuilt chapel, when she suddenly heard a familiar voice behind her.

"Excuse me, Yuuki Nao-san?" a woman said from behind Nao.

"Who?" Nao said, then saw a woman in her mid-twenties in a nun habit behind her.

"I'm Sister Ayame," she said. "You may not remember me, but I was at your orphanage."

"Ah yes," Nao said, her curiosity piqued. "I remember your name but I hardly recognize you. I seem to remember you stopped coming by a while ago."

"I was a different person back then," Sister Ayame said. "I thought I could get through to you back then, but I had so little understanding of how harsh the world could be. I could only utter empty platitudes about God's plan and compassion for others while speaking about matters I had no experience with, much less any understanding of how to reach out to bitter and lonely individuals. I must have seemed so naïve and foolish in your eyes back then."

"Yeah, you were," Nao said. "But what changed, Sister?"

"After my trip to the prison, I had a bit of a crisis of faith as I realized how unjust society could be; for example, a man was serving over 20 years for being a largely unwitting accomplice. I felt unable to say anything meaningful to them, much less you, and asked for a reassignment while coming to terms with my doubts. After much thought and prayer, I came to realize that life is not always fair- vice is not always punished and virtue is not always rewarded, in this world, at least- but even if we are treated unjustly by our fortunes or each other, we should not respond in kind, but try to rise above it."

"You know... it's not that long ago that I realized that myself," Nao said. "I suppose that's one thing we have in common."

"And then I heard Sister Yukariko, Father Joseph, and Miyu-san were missing and presumed dead, so I was called upon to help here, and saw it as a chance to try again."

"Yeah, I heard… something like that," Nao said, careful to avoid revealing too much. She had been present for Yukariko's final minutes, but while Natsuki had told her of Joseph's involvement with Searrs, he had perished without either of them knowing about it.

Nao's mind wandered back to Yukariko, whose actions before her death had occasionally come to her mind, but she had never been able to resolve them. She knew now that Yukariko had lied in order to set the other Himes against her, and felt angry about being used in such a way, although she had suspected it for some time. But there was one other thing bothering her…

"Yuuki-san? Is something the matter?" Sister Ayame said.

"I was just thinking…" Nao said. "When Sister… the last time I saw Sister Yukariko, I…was angry at her for something and forgave her… without truly meaning to do so. It's hard to explain, but… I think I somehow knew at the time it was going to be the last time. And I don't think she ever thought I didn't mean it."

"I think that was kind of you, Yuuki-san," Sister Ayame said. "Lying is a sin, but perhaps what you said gave Sister Yukariko peace, especially if she died after her last conversation with you."

Nao felt oddly reassured by those words, but could not help but feel as though Sister Ayame knew, or perhaps suspected, there was more to the story than she was being told.

"There's another thing that's occurred to me lately," Nao said. "Maybe you didn't realize just how harsh the world can be. But one thing I learned lately is that I'm not the only one who had a hard time, but there are those who have faced everything life threw at them, suffered about as much as I did, and yet didn't turn out completely bitter. I've also realized that none of my lashing out against others has done anything to ease my pain. So perhaps I can understand how it feels to realize you were wrong all along."

"It's wonderful to hear that you're coming to realizations about yourself," Sister Ayame said. "What do you intend to do now?"

"I'm still trying to figure it out," Nao said. "But in spite of everything that happened, in spite of how people are often callously indifferent if not monstrous, I still have hope. I believe that my mother will awaken from her coma one day and when that happens, however many months or years it is later, I want to be a woman she can be proud of."

"A noble goal, Yuuki-san. I will pray for your success and your mother's recovery."

"Thank you, Sister." Nao, said with a smile. She then realized at that moment that, for the first time since her mother went into a coma, she no longer felt alone. As Natsuki had told her, she never had to be.

* * *

Mai and Yuuichi sat in the woods near Fuuka Academy, overlooking the bridge. Once a test subject for Artemis' Golden Lightning, it was finally being repaired. Most of Fuuka Academy, and the world at large, barely knew anything of the strange events in Fuuka and the signs of the Hime Star's descent, and would one day forget anything out of the ordinary had even happened. But those who fought in or were swept up by the Carnival would never forget it.

"A lot has changed, hasn't it, Mai?" Yuuichi said.

"It certainly has," Mai said. "Takumi's operation was a success, the First District, the Usurper and the Obsidian Lord are no more, and we defeated all the enemies that came at us. And… the two of us seem to be getting along a lot better than we used to."

Yuuichi laughed.

"Yeah, you could say that," Yuuichi said. "At least in my case, though, it's less that you changed and more that I grew to understand who you were, and how far you'd go for those close to you."

"We do have our little flaws that annoy each other from time to time, but we've also discovered things to like, and even love, about each other," Mai said. "Neither of us are perfect, exactly, but I wouldn't have you any other way."

"So what are you going to do now?" Yuuichi said. "Takumi won't need your help as much from now on, and there's no longer any mystical evil threats to face."

"Assuming the Avatar didn't lie about this or leave in some tricky loophole," Mai corrected Yuuichi. "It could be that the SUEs might regroup on another world, like the one that SUE brought the Orphan and Slave army from. The fact that the world is larger, more mysterious and more dangerous than I had initially thought is not a fact that I will forget easily"

"I suppose, but you can't live life for others forever, especially when it involves dealing with things that might happen," Yuuichi said. "Maybe the Avatar thinks your and the others' time playing heroes is done and is giving you this time to use for your own pursuits and desires. But if you ask me, you shouldn't need his permission to do that."

"You're right," Mai said. "For the time being, I'm going to get my grades up. After I do, I'm thinking of starting a karaoke club here."

"I think you need five members for a club here," Yuuichi said before smiling eagerly. "So, with the two of us, you should work on getting the other three you need. Between that and getting your grades up, you won't want for things to do even with the Carnival over and Takumi having gotten his operation."

"No," Mai said with a smile. "It feels as though my life is just beginning."

Mai nodded, and then looked out at the distance. Her parents were still gone, and without their support, some parts of her life would be more difficult and lonely than they would be otherwise. She and Takumi would have to think about how to pay for their university studies without their help. Their parents would never see Mai and Takumi graduate, would never meet their son- and daughter-in-law, and would never become grandparents. But the world went on, and so did her life and the lives of the friends she had fought alongside. And whether they were mundane or supernatural, she was willing to face whatever challenges came her way in the future.

* * *

"Mashiro-sama, are you sure about this?" Fumi said to Mashiro. Fumi, now director of the academy, had abandoned her maid outfit in favor of a pink business suit. She and Mashiro stood in the library, near a door that Fumi knew would soon separate her from her mistress forever.

"The Obsidian Lord and the Usurper have been defeated, and the Avatar has also departed," Mashiro said. "It's time to allow these girls to decide their own fates. This world is often an unpleasant place and humans can often make terrible decisions out of weakness or vice. But people can make a difference even if the world should not be ruled by the whims of one person, and we should leave the world's destiny in their hands."

"I understand," Fumi said, and then descended into a deep bow. "Thank you for everything, Mashiro-sama. It was an honor to serve you."

"Thank you for staying by my side, Fumi-san," Mashiro said. "I leave everything in your hands." Mashiro then, taking the wheels of her chair in her hand, propelled herself through the door, which closed behind her.

An era had ended. A group of seemingly unlikely girls had triumphed against those with powers greater than their own, breaking a cycle that had repeated many times and enabling the world to go on as it was. Their lives were their own, and while perfect bliss and a utopia were, as they realized, impossible, happiness and the chance to obtain a better world were, as always, within their grasp.

* * *

**Author's Note**

The ending to this fic may strike you as somewhat darker and more bittersweet than the canon ending. I believe it touches on issues the canon ending glossed over for a more lighthearted conclusion, and that the canon ending would have better spent its time looking at the impact the events had on the Himes.

Ayame is intended to serve as a foil to Yukariko, as someone who loses her innocence, but emerges a stronger person. She also contrasts with Nao in that, when they met at the orphanage, they had respectively idealistic and cynical viewpoints, were forced to question them, and now arrive in the center.

Mai-HiME!Arika makes a cameo appearance as Mai, Mikoto and Natsuki are walking away in the anime, and as a prospective student in the manga.

There was no official explanation for what happened to Mashiro and Fumi after the final battle, so rather than make one up that might raise issues of its own, I decided to have them turn up after the end. I also hesitate to speculate about where Mashiro goes in the last scene.

Shizuru works in a lingerie shop, as detailed in one of the sound dramas after Episode 4.

I find it interesting that Shizuru, as popular as she is, only even begins to show her true self to Natsuki. It makes one wonder how many people are actually her friends or anything close to that, although it could serve as a testament to how well she guards her secrets. And yet, it can be argued that because she's willing to open up to Natsuki, Natsuki is willing to trust and bond with her.

You may notice that many of the characters have unresolved problems in the future, and the relationships between, Akane and Kazuya, Akira and Takumi, Mai and Yuuichi, and Shizuru and Natsuki, are only beginning. This is part of the point; the Himes' lives may have gone back to normal, but their lives are not completely free of problems. Rather than settle for a "perfect" life, they have chosen to face those problems in the future. I may explore those at some point in the future, but I am still trying to formulate a plan for how to go about writing that idea. I have a few other projects that I am considering working on first, as I have more of an idea about going about writing them up.

This story was a first for me in many ways. It was the first story I have been confident in enough to publish online, the longest one I have ever written (I don't think any of the ones before this have exceeded 10,000 words), and on a more minor sense, a foray into a "what-if" scenario, when events deviate from canon in some ways, if not others. I hope the story remained consistent to canon(apart from the changes to canon caused by the SUEs' interference), was believable, and most of all, was enjoyable.

Thank you for reading and reviewing this story. Stay tuned for some bonus chapters to shed light on the characters and events.

**Coming up:**  
*Character Profiles: Profiles of all the SUEs, detailing how their powers work, their personalities and some of what inspired them.

*Deleted Material: A look at some of what didn't make it into the story. There were many ideas that I considered, but didn't use, as well as different directions the story could have gone. This is because this story only existed as an idea in my head for at least two years, before I decided to finalize and write it up last summer, and post it in September.

*Omakes: Stories depicting side events or various "what-if" scenarios. Among them will be a story dedicated to showing the Usurper's perspective on the conflict, a look at what would happen if the SUEs were forced to work together, and a final set of diary entries in the aftermath of the Carnival.


	26. SUE Profiles

**SUE Profiles**

Below is a list of all the SUEs in the story. It lists their name (family name, then given name), their appearance, who is their most important person (when applicable), their personality, who or what they represent, and the powers they possess from their Element, Child or other sources, as well as how they work. The sources for their and their Child's names are listed, with names in Western order. It is intended to give you a look at who the SUEs are, how their powers work, and various additional information that could be considered "All there in the Manual".

* * *

**Suou Mariko**

**Hair color**: Blue

**Hair style**: Waist length, flowing freely.

**Eyes**: Blue

**Most Important Person**: Takamura Kyouji

**Personality**: Mariko is unwaveringly kind and polite to others. She is also an accomplished student and athlete. The Fuuka Academy faculty greatly respects her, and she has many friends, admirers and people with crushes on her among the student body. Mariko, partly because of her personality, is highly charismatic and influential, and with only a few words, can shape someone's personality as she wishes.

**Symbolic Of**: The "classic" Mary Sue, who is good at everything and loved by everyone, with an obligatory tragic backstory thrown in for good measure.

**Element**: A set of relatively inconspicuous studs with red, heart-shaped gems. They have the ability to influence anyone who speaks with or sees her in person to become enamored with her and value her above all others. However, said Element is also the only reason she is established so firmly in the minds of who she knows; if her powers are lost or she is kiled, she will be forgotten..

**Child**: Baldur: It has the power to resurrect Mariko from the dead if enough people mourn her passing. This would ordinarily be an easy task given Mariko's powers, but as no one saw her die, her death did not leave behind a corpse and Mariko was soon forgotten, she will remain dead.

**Named After:** Her given name is from Mariko of Shogun. Her family name is from Tamaki Suou of Ouran High School Host Club, and together, it's an obvious reference at "Mary Sue", partly because she's most like the classic Mary Sue. Her Child's name is named after Baldur from Norse mythology; after his death when his blind brother Hod is tricked into throwing the one thing that can kill him at him, he can be revived if everyone cries for him, but Loki, in disguise, refuses to.

* * *

**Kirihara Hitomi**

**Hair color**: Dark

**Hair style**: Middle chest length, flowing freely.

**Eyes**: Red

**Most Important Person**: Does not care for anyone other than herself.

**Personality**: Hitomi completely lacks any kind of conscience or feelings of morality. She takes pleasure in causing harm to others, and her curiosity is aroused when she finds a new way to hurt people. She looks down on all other people for following rules and considering the needs of others. She would be considered Chaotic Evil, if not Stupid Evil.

Said personality makes her a menace to society, but her refusal to moderate her own behavior also makes her often reckless and shortsighted. Her depravity and sadism is such that none of the other SUEs would willingly associate with her, partly out of a desire for self-preservation and partly because all of them find her abhorrent. Were Hitomi forced to work alongside others, she would be incredibly caustic and rude to her allies, straining relations between them. And yet, Hitomi can be considered pitiful, leading a life that causes suffering to others while bringing no true fulfillment to herself, without being able to realize any of this, but those who would take pity on her should also extend this pity to her victims.

**Symbolic of**: A "Jerk Sue" who goes around treating everyone terribly without suffering any consequences. It should be pointed out that some of this type of Mary Sue I have read about have done even worse things than Hitomi has (For a bit of "Word of God," her final death toll, including her restaurant shooting and other incidents, is 32 people. One such Gary Stu character killed over 6 million people at the Super Bowl.).

**Element**: A blue mind control probe launched from her hand. When attached to targets, she can control their every action and see through them.

**Child**: Axon: It can attach to any subject and cause them to have any sensation the user wishes, from pleasure to pain. It is, however, fragile and easily destroyed

**Named After**: Her given name is from Hitomi Shizuki of Puella Magi Madoka Magica (partially a reference to her getting kissed by a Witch in Episode 4 and forced to partake in a mass suicide, similar to this SUE's method of killing her victims), and her family name is from Taizo Kirihara of Code Geass; put together, the first four letters of both her names, form "Hitokiri" or "assassin/murderer" in Japanese. Her child is named after the parts of nerve cells that conduct electrical impulses.

* * *

**Asahina Toki**

**Hair color**: Silver

**Hair** **style**: Short, tomboyish hairstyle

**Eyes**: Green

**Most Important Person**: Hayate

**Personality:** Toki is often exceptionally stubborn and fixated on her goals. She is convinced of the righteousness of her own actions, even when those she claims she is trying to help disapprove of what she is doing, and will fight against them to force them to accept it. It is most likely that she has convinced herself that what she is doing is best. She also blinds herself to the possible consequences of trying to bring about the future where Hayate comes from, willing to do or sacrifice anything for the sake of being together. Interestingly enough, she barely knows Hayate, much less understands her infatuation with this individual.

**Symbolic of**: Writers who alter canon to fit their convenience without designating it as an AU or "For Want of a Nail" fic, and Mary Sues who are willing to go far for what should be considered a shallow infatuation.

**Element**: A watch that can stop time, as well as energy grenades that explode after a set period of time. The longer the timer, the larger the explosion, and Hitomi can manipulate time to determine how quickly or slowly the fuses run down. Hitomi is also immortal in a sense while in possession of her power, unable to age or become ill, and should she die, while in possession of her powers, she can reset time.

**Child**: Chronos, a giant with a scythe who, like Hitomi, can move while time is stopped. It can release monsters from its own blood.

**Named After**: Her given name is derived from a princess in a Naruto filler arc, and the Japanese word for "Time", and her family name is from Mikuru Asahina of Haruhi Suzumiya, who is also a time traveler. Her Child is named after the Greek god Kronos, as well as because it sounds similar to "Chrono".

* * *

**Otonashi Shizune**

**Hair** **color**: Blonde

**Hair style**: Ponytail

**Eyes**: Blue

**Most Important Person**: Yoshida Kyouko

**Personality**: Shizune is a zealous and obsessed fundamentalist Christian. She has an extreme black-and-white view of morality, believing that anyone who disagrees with her in any way is an enemy, and solves her problems by killing the ones she believes to be responsible. Her fellow Christians are not exempt, as she considers any Christian who disagrees with her beliefs or how far she is willing to go a heretic, believing that they are in some ways worse than non-Christians by "leading the true believers astray." She believes she is fighting against the persecution of Christians, but not only are some of those incidents only in her mind, but she refuses to see the hypocrisy in murdering those who disagree with her while railing against lesser slights against her beliefs.

**Symbolic of:** Mary Sues who represent the author's extremist views. As I stated in Chapter 8, Shizune is Christian while most of the cast appears to not be religious, and Yukariko is completely appalled by Shizune's willingness to murder those who disagree with her, intending to show how most people with Shizune's ideology would view her.

**Element**: A long sword and a kite shield. The shield is exceptionally durable, and can deflect attacks. The sword is able to cut between solid barriers and force shields, depending on which mode is selected.

**Child**: Argos: While summoned, it decreases the potency of all powers apart from Shizune's depending on how many people are in the vicinity; the more people there are, the greater the effect on each of them. It can also completely disable the special powers one person possesses for an unlimited duration, represented by a black eye sigil on that person's chest that shows through clothing (if a person is wearing black or dark gray, the sigil will appear white on the black). Argos can fire lasers from all of its one hundred eyes.

**Named After**: Her given name is from Shizune Hakamichi of Katawa Shoujo, who is deaf and mute, and her family name is from San Otonashi of Rosario + Vampire, whom I've heard is unable to speak without causing harm to those around her. Both names were chosen because I heard they meant "quiet" or "without sound," and I modeled her ability after the "silence" status ailment from RPGs, which prevents victims from using special abilities. Her Child is named after the one hundred-eyed sentinel from Greek mythology.

* * *

**Sekai**

**Hair**: Green

**Hair style**: Twintails

**Eye color**: Blue

**Most Important Person**: The Emperor of Taiyuan, a mixture of a superficial crush based on appearance and social status, and the belief that his survival is necessary for her to live and use her powers.

**Personality**: Likely the result of her being able to acquire powers with little effort, Sekai is quite impatient. She speaks in an archaic tone for no discernible reason, but when angered, she will slip into using profanity and more modern speech while trying to keep her normal mode of speech. She sees her followers as pawns and has no compunctions against sacrificing them as necessary, believing that they are too weak compared to her to be good for much else. She does not see much value in teamwork, particularly if she can steal her teammates' powers and, in her mind, accomplish everything herself. She is also reckless, especially when faced with superior numbers.

**Symbolic Of: **Mary Sues who acquire powers from other universes, or quickly gain possession of powers from their own universes.

**Element**: A wakizashi, which can, once thrust into her victim, allow her to copy the victim's powers, open portals between dimensions, and absorb and reflect energy attacks. It is typically held in her left hand, her non-dominant one, so that any acquired weaponry can be held in her main hand, and can float if necessary.

Shizune has the ability to steal other powers. She is also vulnerable to their restrictions, but can potentially overcome them with other powers; a power that reduces her lifespan might be counteracted by one that extends it or enables her to become immortal.

Using her Element, she has obtained the Stormy Blossom Chrysoberyl. It can release blades that resemble cherry blossom petals into the air.

**Child**: Mana. A pulsing, reflective blob of unidentified material. It serves as ammunition for her powers, and can be used to replicate necessary items and materials. It is self-replicating and thus virtually impossible to destroy.

**Named After**: Sekai is named after Sekai Saionji of School Days, as well as the word for "World." She has no last name; one's last name can often tell you much about where they live or where their family comes from (In Mai-Otome, for example, the characters' surnames reflect their homeland; Nao and Nina, for example, have Chinese surnames because they come from Arta, while Akane and Shiho have French-sounding names because they come from Cardair). Her Child is named after what is essentially ammunition for spellcasters in role-playing games; if it can fuel anything, such as fireballs, healing spells, enchantments, summoning and more, Sekai's Child enables her to obtain the materials necessary to use whatever powers she acquires.

* * *

**Senboname Bachiko**

**Hair**: Blonde

**Hair style**: Short

**Eye color**: Blue

**Most Important Person**: Moriya Meiko.

**Personality: **Bachiko is often impulsive and tends to solve problems by immediately reacting, which tends to create as many as she solves when she doesn't think through the consequences. She also has a belief that she knows what's right for other people, to the point that she sees nothing wrong with making important decisions for them. She is fiercely devoted to her goal, believing that everyone will be happier, but does occasionally question whether she has allowed herself to be reshaped.

**Symbolic of**: Authors who reshape characters' personalities, often to enable or prevent relationships between characters.

**Element:** A bee, which she can summon infinite times. It can add, rewrite or delete elements of its victims' personality once it stings them. A few rules apply:

-Removing or modifying one cause of an aspect of a person's personality will not necessarily remove the others, and might leave someone torn between their true personality and the sting-imposed change. For example, Bachiko was able to influence Yuuichi to hate Mai and be rude to her, but she did not erase the memories associated with Mai or Yuuichi's growing attraction to her, leaving him conflicted when he went to see Shiho.

-It's possible to make an entirely redundant change to personality. Bachiko was hoping to pair Nao and Natsuki together, but failed to account for the fact that Nao was indeed becoming somewhat more friendly to and tolerant of Natsuki over time.

-Subsequent stings to the target will remove all of the brainwashing associated with the sting that was in effect (see Nao's reversion).

-Last, and most importantly, Bachiko, unlike Hitomi, cannot directly control the actions of the target, and the effectiveness of this ability in achieving a goal depends on how well Bachiko can predict how a target will act and tailor the conditioning as much as necessary, but not too much. Bachiko's chief flaw is that she and Meiko are unable to adequately predict how targets will act, she tends to make large changes to personality, which often backfire or come off as suspicious to those who know the targets better than she does.

**Child**: Suzumebachi. A large bee capable of spawning bees to attack her targets by exploding or firing stingers.

**Named After**: Bachiko was deliberately given a non-Japanese sounding name to reflect how some Mary Sues or their variants have names that would be out of place; for example, one atrocious Naruto fic with a character who helped inspire some of the SUEs in this fic has a character based on the author's (now former) best friend, called "Tadashiharakumaie". Her given name is vaguely based off the word for "Bee", and her last name was based off the word for throwing needles from Naruto. Her Child is named after Soi Fon's zanpakuto from Bleach, and after a filler villain from Naruto who controlled bees.

* * *

**Moriya Meiko**

**Hair style:** Medium length, flowing freely

**Hair color:** Red.

**Eyes:** Green.

**Most Important Person**: Senboname Bachiko

**Personality: **Meiko is more cautious and patient than Bachiko, often waiting to see if a problem will resolve itself, as well as what course of action would be best. Unfortunately for her, this often means that she often delays acting until it is too late or a more decisive solution is required, when preemptive action could be done more easily, out of a fear that such action would have too many risks. She does, however, also share Bachiko's belief that the students of Fuuka Academy need their guidance. But her ability to manipulate people's memories and knowledge of Bachiko's power leads her to wonder whether she, too, has been manipulated into loving Bachiko, although she typically brushes it from her mind.

**Element**: A book that rewrite the target's memories if they see its light. She can add, remove or change memories by writing the change in the book with a quill. For example, if she wanted to pretend to be someone's friend, she could alter a memory of a trip to an amusement park to include herself in it, or make the subject remember a trip there with her that never happened. There is no defined limit to her range, but the larger the radius, the more time she needs to prepare, and the more vulnerable she is; she is also hesitant to alter the memories of anyone who is not a part of her plan.

**Child**: Amenin. A large brain that can create shields to protect itself and its allies.

**Named After**: Meiko is named after Emi's mother from Katawa Shoujo, and her last name comes from one of Lilly's classmates, as well as one of the assistants in Bakuman; combined, the first halves of each of her name are a reference to "Memory". Her Child is an anagram of Namine from Kingdom Hearts, who can also manipulate memories.

* * *

**Harushiro Suzuka**

**Appearance**: She looks exactly like Haruka Suzushiro.

**Most Important Person**: Kagami Makoto.

**Personality**: She and Makoto are what might be called "second generation SUEs", having been created to grant the Usurper more minions for his final attempt at power. She was intended to copy Haruka, but comes off as a pale imitation, having little in common apart from her appearance and belligerence; in particular, she speaks more articulately, but gives up more easily. Those closest to the original Haruka can tell how little Suzuka resembles her. Unlike Makoto, Suzuka typically does not question this, having been inherently programmed with her identity, rather than choosing someone else's.

**Symbolic of:** Empowering canon characters out of favoritism or other agendas, often to the point at which they stop being like they were in canon.

**Element:** A morning star that fires laser beams

**Child**: Komokuten. A large angler fish that fires laser beams. They are powerful, but only if the target is not reflective.

**Named After**: Her name is an anagram of Haruka's name. Her Child simply has the name of Haruka's Child from the manga.

* * *

**Kagami Makoto**

**Appearance**: Her true appearance- or if she is truly a "she" in reality, is unknown, but Makoto can transform into anyone.

**Most Important Person:** Homura Nagi.

**Personality**: Much like Suzuka, Makoto is intended to imitate the SUEs. However, in her case, the imitation is her individual part, in an attempt to find a role. She chose Mai because she seemed to be the most powerful and well-liked of all the Himes. She feels as though her true personality is inadequate, and therefore strives to become accepted by imitating others.

**Symbolic Of:** Mary Sues intending to copy or assume the roles of canon characters.

**Element**; She has the ability to transform into anyone native to the setting where she currently is, taking on their appearance and powers. It should be noted that Makoto cannot use this ability on other SUEs, and if she goes to another setting, she cannot use her powers on anyone native to the setting she left until she returns.

**Child:** Makoto obtains the Child of the Hime whose abilities she copies. As long as she is imitating a Hime, she is bound by the rule that she will lose her powers if her Child is destroyed, but if she is killed, her most important person will die even if she is not imitating a Hime.

**Named After**: Her first name comes from both Makoto Itou, the main character of School Days (who is male) and from Makoto "Sailor Jupiter" Kino (who is female). Her last name comes from that of the main character of the Death Note pilot, and the Japanese word for "mirror".

* * *

**The Usurper**

**Appearance**:The only physical form he has is a clump of red nerves, which, when he is vulnerable, clings to his host.

**Personality:** The Usurper is driven and power-hungry, seeking a short path to supreme power over his world. He looks down on the residents of the world of Mai-Hime, thinking that he is superior, and that he is best suited to ruler over them. He has little power of his own and must rely on the SUEs as his pawns. He considers them resources; while the death of one is not seen as a great setback to his plans, he considers it frustrating If they die without inflicting any significant damage to the enemy.

**Symbolic Of:** Characters who steal the focus of the story, and of authors hijacking other characters to serve as their avatars.

**Powers:He** exists by taking the body of others, able to control their every action, much like Hitomi. However, he can also access their memories and thoughts, enabling him to have access to everything they know and do what they would do in a given situation, should he choose to do so. He is also able to command all of the user's powers. His other abilities are a limited amount of clairvoyance (similar to Yukino's powers), and the ability to telepathically communicate with the SUEs, who are able to respond to him.

* * *

**The Avatar**

**Appearance**: A cloaked male figure.

**Personality: **The Avatar has no personality of his own, in the same way that a notepad has virtually nothing on it, and exists to be filled with whatever its user writes. His creator, however, has chosen him to serve as the vessel for his will in the world of Mai-Hime.

**Symbolic Of:** Characters the authors use to insert themselves into the world.

**Powers**: He can do literally anything, as he is the representation of his author on the story, sent to watch over the modified Carnival and see to it that the contest remains fair. His powers naturally include those of the SUEs- or rather, the SUEs could be seen as borrowing his powers to have similar effects on their world as their creators, and he can also nullify the power of any character as he sees fit. Should one side gain an unearned advantage or get into a position in which the other would be unable to make any attempt at a counterattack, he intervenes.


	27. Discarded Plot Elements

**Discarded Plot Elements**

Here are some ideas I was considering incorporating into the plot. None of them are written down in any form. This is intended to show some of what might have been, and I hope it will also shed light on why the finished story turned out the way it did when I show why I did not use these ideas, or why I chose their replacements. Also, please keep in mind that, as often happens, an idea's execution can fall short of its concept, so therefore, there is no guarantee these ideas would have turned out well in execution.

* The story was initially called "Be Careful What You Wish For", then "Mai-SUE," then "Reality Ensues". I chose this title after the first draft was finished, in order to fit the theme that the Himes, who strive to overcome their own flaws, can overcome the "perfect" SUEs.

*One of the SUEs was intended to be male, as a way of showing SUEs defying traditional rules of who can or cannot use exclusive superpowers, in addition to how said superpowers can be used. I discarded that idea because I couldn't think of anything more to that SUE apart from being male (SUEs typically represent a type of Mary Sue character and effect on the plot, as Shizune represents a Mary Sue championing extreme views, and someone whose powers make canon ones worthless in comparison), and because I couldn't decide which of the SUEs to make male.

*Natsuki was originally going to confront Hitomi alone, or get lured away from the others, but I decided that the Himes would band together to counteract her mind control powers if they knew they could only affect one person at once.

*Haruka was initially going to find out about Yukino and the others being Himes much later, specifically just before the final battle, but I changed it to provide more focus on Haruka, in order to further develop Yukino and show how Haruka might react if she were brought into the loop.

*Toki's Child was originally going to be named the Broodmother (or some anagram thereof), and would send out many insect-like minions. I decided to keep the idea of her using minions to make changes to history, but changed the Child so that it would be a reference to mythology like some of the Himes' Childs.

*Hayate's name was originally Minato, then Sagi (named after Toki's brother from a filler arc in Naruto). Hayate's gender- along with everything else- is unspecified, largely so that you'll have to guess just what kind of person Toki would be willing to go so far and risk so much for, but was originally going to be definitely male. I made the change to signify how Mary Sues often have a superficial attachment to their love interests.

*At one point, Toki was intended to die at the end of her fight with Mai, Natsuki and Nao instead of after it, but it was changed so that she would live and be finished off by Shizune, partly to show the lack of loyalty between SUEs and partly because the Himes would not kill unless they had no other choice.

*One SUE character was intended to be a ninja similar to Naruto with a nine-tailed fox as a Child. She was going to fight Akira, and during the battle, Akira would have been outed as a girl and a Hime. She would have been fought at some point after Toki, once the Himes knew what the SUEs were. She was discarded since I couldn't think of a good theme to use on her, or how to incorporate her into the plot.

*Meiko was originally going to be a sickly child whose power involved swaying people to sympathize with her. Her Child was originally intended to be a scorpion, the death of which would kill Bachiko.

*Bachiko, while intended to be Meiko's partner was, before she was named, someone who could force people to act in ways that were conceivable, if not in character. She, later in her development, could amplify or decrease personality traits. Nao's polite personality was based on the potential for compassion and civility within her, Nao's transformation into someone even more harsh and cruel than before was based on her cruel tendencies, and Shizuru's "psycho lesbian" phase was an amplification of the intensity of her feelings for Natsuki. Shortly after saving Mai from Shiho, Yukino was originally going to be stung by a bee and paralyzed with fear. Bachiko's child was originally going to be a turtle.

*At various points while I was brainstorming the Mai vs. Bachiko and Meiko fight, I was considering having Mikoto and/or Midori get involved, possibly as their original opponent, only to be incapacitated by the bee stings. In Mikoto's case, she would have risen because of her brainwashing to deliver the killing blow on the two's Childs.

*At one point while brainstorming the plot, shortly before I wrote up the story Ishigami, upon discovering Bachiko's power, would have used that information to blackmail her into brainwashing Yukariko into being loyal to him again, but Bachiko would have added an exception to this command, causing her to betray him (or ignore his commands) once an enemy appeared in his presence. I scrapped this to make Yukariko's decisions her own. Like in the series, she falls in love with an evil and manipulative man, sacrifices her emotional well-being and conscience for him, and in the end, dies rather than continue to do his bidding. In all versions of the story, Yukariko's fate- dying along with Ishigami- would have happened similar to canon (although only this version featured their death in the chapel fire), and in Bachiko and Meiko's arc. Alternatively, Yukariko would have died as a result of Bachiko and Meiko's defeat.

*The Usurper was originally going to be named The Progenitor (back when he was designated as the official creator of the SUEs) or the Creator (with the Usurper becoming his name around the time of the final confrontation, and with the Advisor/Avatar turning out to be the real Creator), and was originally intended to be a large sea anemone-like creature with many eyes, similar to C'Thun's second form in World of Warcraft. He was intended to use his many eyes control the Himes' Childs, thus forcing them into a decision of whether to sacrifice their most important people and fighting capability in order to reach and defeat him. I chose to discard this partly because it would end too anticlimactically once all the Himes got their powers back, but also because I wanted the Usurper and the final group of Himes to, after the defeat of the rest of the SUEs, attempt to win by copying and borrowing the powers of canon characters (or in Suzuka's case, Haruka's powers in the manga).

*One of the Usurper's minions who would fight alongside him in the final battle was originally going to be a SUE who could summon ghosts that could control people depending on how much characterization they had, a reference to twisting the personalities of minor characters (for example, Hanabi, Hinata's younger sister in Naruto, has a wide variety of fan-imagined personalities, many of which portray her in a negative light). Since the Himes, being major and well-developed characters, would have been immune to this, the idea was scrapped.

*My avatar was going to take a more active role in the plot, such as sending Shiho an e-mail tipping her off to Yuuichi being brainwashed, and suggesting that the only way to ensure that she would be together with him was to kill Mai. In the end, that role was given to Nagi, to serve as a parallel to his canon encounter with Shiho just before her last battle with Mai. I decided to reduce his/my role to make him/myself more of an observer and referee.

*Makoto was originally going to be implied to be a hermaphrodite. "Her" gender is still subject to interpretation, hence the gender neutral name.

*Haruka was originally supposed to die in the climax of the story as a heroic sacrifice, by her deciding to allow the heroes to destroy Diana (which was, as stated before, controlled by the Progenitor/Usurper at the time), which would have led to the main villain absorbing its powers. After the final battle, despite realizing what had happened, Yukino would have insisted that Haruka's death was not in vain and decided to live according to Haruka's example of determination. I decided that killing her off this way was too pointlessly depressing, and it would also have had too little impact on the story if it happened too close to the end (Killing off a heroic character- different rules apply to villains, who often die as soon as they can or must be stopped- too close to the end can limit the impact a character's death can have on the plot). The Usurper would have also have absorbed the powers of Akane and Yukariko's Childs, as well as Yukino's if Haruka had died.

*Originally, the confrontation with my Avatar was going to be longer and include the implication that I was responsible for Shiho getting an anonymous text message that tipped her off about Yuuichi being brainwashed and telling her to deal with Mai once and for all. In the current version, it's actually the Usurper who sent the text message to her.

*Originally, my Avatar was going to kill and resurrect Natsuki after nullifying her attack as a show of power, but I decided it would be pointlessly cruel.

*I made some miscellaneous changes to the first draft after re-watching the series, to conform to continuity, such as altering the dialogue to acknowledge that Shiho attacked Mai before the divergence from canon.

* * *

Following are a few scenes that I had envisioned at some point or another, but cut out for the sake of the story flow). They were never written down, so they may seem somewhat more disjointed from the others, as I didn't plan where exactl to put them in.

**Deleted Scene 1 (Between when Midori and the others find out about the SUEs and when Sekai attacks)**

"So does anyone have any ideas about how to identify these SUEs?" Mai said.

"An odd hair color or style that doesn't fit the profile of Japan," Midori said. "Basically, some color like blue, ruby red, blonde..."

Midori looked around at the other Himes, first at Natsuki's blue hair, then at Nao and Mai's red hair, before realizing that the SUEs were not the only ones whose hair colors were out of place.

"So that clearly doesn't work," Midori said with a sigh. "Perhaps we should check the names for any that seem too unusual to be Japanese?"

"But Fuuka Academy has many transfer students or students from abroad," Yukino said. "I don't want people to think that we're engaging in racial profiling."

"Then again, Yukino, Father Joseph, Miyu Greer and Alyssa Searrs were all agents of the enemy," Natsuki said.

"Because of their affiliation with Searrs, Natsuki," Shizuru said.

"So we're essentially back to square one," Midori said. "Just keep your eyes open and report anything suspicious."

**Deleted Scene 2**** (Some point in the first half of the ending)**

Midori walked into the Fuuka Academy library and happened upon Yukino reading a book.

"Why hello, Yukino-chan, what are you reading?" Midori said.

"Hello, Sugiura-sensei, I've been thinking about our last encounter with the Avatar, and how he created the SUEs to test us and show that our imperfections made us who we were," Yukino said. "And so I've been wondering; if there is a god, goddess or gods, why did they make us as flawed as we were? Why would they deliberately allow or cause suffering for us? I'd ask this of Sister, but..."

Yukino trailed off, and the two remained silent for several moments, pondering Yukariko's fate and giving Midori time to formulate a response.

"In the former question, Yukino-chan, I'd say that it's hard for us, who have limited intelligence, to conceive of what a being with infinite wisdom would do," Midori said. Yukino sighed with disappointment in response. "I know, I know, that's not a very good answer, especially since it assumes that gods are figments of human imagination, but those SUEs were also meant to be perfect. Maybe our minds can't understand what they're thinking, maybe we're trying to imagine something that doesn't exist in reality, or maybe those deities aren't perfect. But as for suffering, have you ever read or written a story without conflict?"

"In elementary school, for example, I wrote a short story about my day once," Yukino said. "I suppose it was what you might call boring, but it did display my skill in describing things, telling a story, and so forth."

"An ordinary day, right?" Midori said, and Yukino nodded in response. "If that's the case, and you never encountered any sort of hardship, you never had to grow in response."

"That may be true," Yukino said. "I have had to challenge myself and grow as a person since I realized I was a Hime. But pressure doesn't always make people stronger; some break in one way or another when faced with situations like these."

"You're correct; maybe the Avatar was planning to make us better people or see what might happen to us, as well as what became of the SUEs," Midori said. "But in any case, I think he said the SUEs couldn't rise to the challenge, and as such, they couldn't succeed."

**Author's Note**: As I've noted in the end of Chapter 8, most of the Himes besides Yukariko do not seem to be religious at all.

* * *

**Original Chapter**

**Note: **This was the original concept for the first chapter, back when it was only going to be a one-shot. I was also considering a variant in which Mariko is introduced later and dies in Takumi's place rather than Kazuya's.

**Be Careful What You Wish For**

Mariko Suoh had virtually everything she could ever want. She was at the top of the Fuuka Academy first-year high school class. She was excellent at sports and had an angelic singing voice. She was also a HiME, and her Element's ability to control the mind of an enemy, combined with her Child, Jung's ability to launch psychic assaults and spread confusion among the enemy, made her a formidable enemy to her rivals and Orphans.

But there was also something magnetic about her. People in love would forget the one they cared for most and turn to her. Gay boys and completely heterosexual girls would immediately forget their orientations and fawn over her. Even girls who were against homosexuality could not deny their attraction to her. It was rumored that she was the beneficiary of a higher power, which seemed to be acting through her.

Akane Higurashi was no exception. Since meeting Mariko, she had completely forgotten about Kazuya Kurauchi, until he asked to meet her in the bamboo forest outside Fuka Academy. While there, an Orphan attacked, and Akane's tonfa element and Child, Harry, made short work of it. But then, in the blink of an eye, Miyu stabbed Harry, and Akane was instantly defeated.

Inside Fuka Academy, Mariko winced in pain and quickly rushed to the nearby girls' bathroom. She barely got inside the unoccupied bathroom when her heartbeat stopped, and she collapsed to her knees in agony. Her body shone as it decomposed into green sparks, scattering and fading like a shot firework.

Back at the site of the battle, Miyu fled the scene without offering an explanation for her actions. Destroying a Child did not have the effect she foresaw, but she resolved to persevere in her mission for Alyssa's sake. Akane and Kazuya looked at each other, trying to come to grips with what had happened. Their mutual obsession with Mariko had faded, as her death throes had dispelled their forced infatuation with her, and without that, she was simply a seemingly perfect girl with no personality. The two expressed their love for one another, kissed and returned to the academy.

Elsewhere, Mariko's creator mentally kicked himself and made a mental note to make characters like her exempt from the rules of the canon setting.

**Author's note**: You may notice a few changes from the first chapter here

-Names are in Western order, and Suou and Fuuka are spelled differently.

-Miyu's fight with Akane is shorter and more one-sided; after re-watching Episode 8, I noticed that Akane wasn't instantly defeated.

-Mariko's Child was originally generically over-powered, albeit related to her ability to influence others, but I decided to make her child

-Instead of being sent out to test the Himes, Mariko was intended to be perfect, and her death was seen by the (in-universe) creator as a wholly unintended result, rather than a finding of the experiment.


	28. Omake: Seekers of Perfection

**PIO Omake 1: Seekers Of Perfection**

The Avatar looked on his creations, resting in tubes filled with fluid in a room resembling a laboratory. The room rested in a world outside of time and space.

In them were several young women who embodied Mary Sue archetypes. They included the girl everyone loved at first sight, the psychopath with no heed for rules, the ideological zealot and others. Their powers were not the insurmountable ones, or even always the improbable ones associated with the Mary Sues, but represented their impact on the world. They could break another character to their will, absorb their powers, render their powers useless, alter their personalities or even change time and space

And the Usurper, the one designated to lead all of them, sat in a tank of his own, as a spherical clump of red nerves.

* * *

The Usurper, while confined in his tank, observed the world with his powers. He regarded what he saw with great disdain. For every decision they made, from academic decisions to social ones, and even utterly superficial ones, from the ones that were indeed foolish to many of the ones that were not, he was convinced he could make a better choice. But he was not content to view the world as a bystander, or even become an ordinary human being. He saw himself as above all those in the world, and deserved a place on top of the world.

"Do you like what you see?" the Avatar asked him.

"I see people leading small, insignificant lives, making all the wrong choices, and merely existing in what would seem to be a farce if their stupidity were not so infuriating," the Usurper said. "This world needs guidance... _my_ guidance."

"As luck would have it, I have an opportunity for you to make your dream a reality," the Avatar said. "I have some like-minded individuals, the SUEs, who also seek to reshape the world, and who will serve you toward the end, provided you give them the opportunity to get what they want in the process. But in order to do so, you must fulfill some obligations"

"Such as?" the Usurper asked.

"Your SUEs must defeat or otherwise overcome the Himes, to prove that they can truly overcome any enemies. Normally, the SUEs would have my favor, but in this case, I wish to see whether they can succeed on their own, if they are as perfect as they are presented as, and how they would come off without preferential treatment."

"Will the SUEs be able to stand against the Himes?" the Usurper said.

"That's what I intend to find out," the Avatar said. "Their powers are meant to represent their effects on the worlds they enter; depending on their power and how well they use it, conventional means of attack, or even the kind the Himes employ, might be completely useless on them. I have some information on their abilities and personalities; review it while continuing to observe the Himes, and come to a plan on how to use it."

* * *

"Have you decided on your plan for how to use the SUEs?" the Avatar said, after the Usurper had time to review the SUEs' personalities.

"Unfortunately, as things stand now, none of the SUEs can possibly work together," the Usurper said. "No one would willingly cooperate with Hitomi; a great deal of the desire for self-preservation is involved, but so is the fact that every one of them views her as completely despicable. Shizune has extreme beliefs and no tolerance for disagreement, which means that no one would willingly support her, either, nor would she find anyone else worthy of her unless they agreed to convert. Sekai's ability to steal the powers of the other SUEs and her impatience would mean that she would likely betray her own allies to harvest their powers. And Toki's powers are such that she would not see the need to help the others if she could simply travel back in time and ensure the Himes never arrive here. Bachiko and Meiko would work together and their abilities complement each other, but I doubt I will be able to convince the SUEs to work as a team. Mariko's abilities could stabilize the team, but the ability may as well be used to sway over the rest of Fuuka Academy."

"I had thought as much," the Avatar said, noting the failure to work as a team as an important finding from the experiment. "What will you do now?"

"I will send out the SUEs in turns; first Mariko, then Hitomi, then Toki, then Shizune, then Sekai, then Bachiko and Meiko. With luck, most, if not all, of the Himes will be dead by the time Bachiko and Meiko arrive."

"It doesn't necessarily have to come to that," the Avatar said. "Mariko, Toki, Bachiko and Meiko all have abilities that have many uses outside of direct combat. I will give each special objectives; if they succeed in those, then I will consider this your victory."

"Such as?" the Usurper said.

"For example, Mariko, whose turn is first, will succeed if she wins over the entire school with her charms. Under those circumstances, the Himes would have no will, much less cause, to fight her, and she would essentially win by default. Similarly, if any of the other SUEs change the world to the way they want it to be, the raison d'etre of most of their kind, they will be considered the victors, since in such an outcome, they will have achieved what many of their kind seek to do without fighting."

The Usurper considered what the Advisor said and came up with a plan. Rather than send a single SUE out against all the other Himes, or send out a group that would be plagued by infighting and lose to the Himes as a group, he would first send out Mariko, and hope that she would ensure that a fight would never even take place. She would never agree to actively manipulate the people of Fuuka Academy, having nothing but good intentions for others by virtue of who she was, but the Usurper hoped that left to her own devices, she would fulfill the Avatar's condition.

* * *

Unfortunately, Mariko's own powers worked against her. She had unwittingly bonded herself to a Hime, so when Akane was defeated, her life ended. The incident was also the first battle in a long conflict between the Himes and the Searrs foundation, yet another obstacle to his plans, with its own ulterior motives. If he attempted to intervene immediately afterward, he would likely have to deal with both the Himes and Searrs.

And so the Usurper chose to bide his time, hoping that the Searrs Foundation would kill off several more of the Himes before being defeated in turn, waiting for a moment when the Himes no longer had a common enemy, to send forth Hitomi. He thought that her powers of manipulation would turn the Himes against each other, and they would be unable to trust each other, not knowing who was under Hitomi's thrall.

Ironically, his actions ended up creating a common enemy for the Himes to fight. The Himes realized Nao was innocent of attacking Yukariko, another plan intended to set them against each other, and Hitomi's crimes caused them to band together, unwilling to allow her to continue for their safety's sake and so that no one else would suffer at her hands. Hitomi refused the Usurper's guidance, unwilling to submit to anything but her own whims, and so was defeated when she was taken by surprise by one of her intended victims' friends. She had caused much death and suffering, but had failed to defeat even a single Hime, and so the Usurper saw her as a complete failure. He did not mourn the death of the people whom he viewed with so much disdain, but he also realized he could not hope to change the world merely by culling everyone he disapproved of, and "merely" a little more than two dozen deaths world have no lasting impact.

As he pondered thiat perhaps some things were not as permanent as they should be, he was suddenly inspired on what to do next. Perhaps instead of attempting to fight the Himes in the present, he could pre-emptively remove them as a threat by altering the past.

And Toki would be the correct SUE for the job.

* * *

"So Toki is next?" the Avatar said after Hitomi's death.

"Yes, and I hope that this time, she agrees to follow my orders," the Usurper said. "She is devoted to someone named 'Hayate' above all else; perhaps convincing her that the only way to get together with him is to ensure that Mai, Natsuki and Nao never reach Fuuka will ensure her cooperation and her success."

"Still, I should inform you that the Himes will be told of Toki's plans and given an opportunity to stop her," the Advisor said. "And given that they have defeated Hitomi, they will be informed of the nature of the SUEs."

"Does this mean you're now on their side?" the Usurper said.

"I'm simply giving them a little help that they have earned, and partly to keep things fair. Keep in mind that this is meant to see whether the SUEs can win a fair fight; in return, Toki will only have to deal with three of them. If she succeeds in changing any of their respective pasts, she will win."

The Usurper had heard of the meeting time, and which Himes were going to try to stop Toki's attempt at changing time. Upon hearing Tokiha Mai's name, an idea came to him.

* * *

At night, in the hospital, Shiho's cell phone beeped. She opened it, and found a message from the Usurper.

_Mai will be alone and vulnerable at around 10 p.m. tonight. Come to this location and you can be rid of her once and for all._

Shiho immediately understood what the Usurper's text message meant, and was briefly overcome by conscience-induced hesitation. Was the Usurper telling her to… kill Mai?

But then Shiho's mind flashed back to the incident in the recent past in which Yuuichi had interrupted his date with her to tell Mai his feelings. And what was he doing with Mai when he wasn't visiting her at the hospital? Anger and jealousy flared within her, burning away all rational thought and hesitation. She had to move now, both to meet the deadline and to deal with Mai while there was still an opportunity.

Shiho then called on her powers, and with them, the white kimono and flute that she used while controlling Yatagarasu.

"_It's time for you to pay, liar."_ Shiho thought, as she set out in order to find Mai.

* * *

As Toki's Child faded into green flames, the Usurper cursed his luck. Toki had the power to restart from the time she emerged on Fuuka Academy as many times as she wanted, but this required that she be alive and in possession of her Hime powers. As the latter was no longer valid, it was time to take a more direct approach, and this time, send out a SUE who could stand against the Himes in combat.

The Usurper realized that as useful as Shizune was, she would not take any orders from anyone besides her God.

The solution was thus obvious.

"_Shizune, it is I… your Lord God." _The Usurper said in Shizune's mind.

"_Yes, Lord?" _Shizune said. _"Your servant awaits Your commands."_

"_First you must finish off Asahina Toki, who has attempted to rewrite history for her own ends. Then you must kill the rest of the Himes; they are priestesses of an evil power, competing to be the consort of a dark god. Do not fear their Satanic magic, for My power will protect you."_

"_As you command, Lord_," Shizune said, before heading through a portal that deposited her not far from where the Himes were now interrogating Toki.

The Usurper smiled. He could have waited longer to send Shizune out, but he saw a perfect opportunity at the moment. The majority of the Himes were clumped together, and with Shizune's ability to reduce others' powers increasing with the number of people near her, their powers would be practically useless. He reasoned that without their powers, the Himes were nothing, since they had no combat training or other weaponry at their disposal. Once most of them were eliminated, dealing with the remaining ones would be an easy task.

But this plan assumed that the Himes could not and would not try to adapt to their foes or "think outside the box," so to speak. When Natsuki returned with a firearm, weak in comparison to the ones summoned by her powers, no one was more surprised than Toki... except for the Usurper, who was angered at the failure of his plan and the death of his seemingly most promising SUE.

* * *

"I'd like to talk with you about the next round," the Avatar said to the Usurper after Shizune's death.

"It has been a while since we talked," the Usurper said. "Three SUEs have lost to the Himes."

"I'm aware," the Avatar said.

"So what do you intend to do about it?" the Usurper said impatiently. "As things stand, the Himes are going to win."

"Nothing," the Avatar said. "This is a test of the SUEs and the Himes, and I am to remain neutral. However, I would like to set up the next battle, and make it larger-scale than the ones in the past; both you and the Himes will have more allies on your side this time."

The Usurper paused while considering the Avatar's motives. The Avatar was on neither side, but the Usurper could not help but wonder whether the Avatar's help would help the Himes more than the SUEs. Still, it might at the very least provide Sekai with a chance to gain power.

"I'm listening," the Usurper said.

"Sekai will be allowed to fight against the Otome of Taiyuan before she attacks Fuuka. If she falls in battle, it will be treated as a failure. If she succeeds, I will gift her with the allegiance of the remaining Schwartz operatives, and a group of Orphans, as well as use of that Otome's powers."

* * *

Sekai, following the instructions she had received, stood outside the Taiyuan royal palace, a large pagoda-like structure. She had been frustrated to hear from the Usurper that she would have to harvest all of her powers herself, as well as by his reasoning that she would have to demonstrate that she knew how to use what she was given before she was entrusted with more. All the powers in the cosmos should be hers, she thought, along with everything that came with them, and she did not like waiting.

Sekai used her powers to create a portal, and stepped through it to the exit point near the Emperor of Taiyuan's bedchambers. Two members of the royal guard, clad in suits and bulletproof vests, drew pistols and tried to open fire on her, but Sekai opened portals, redirecting their shots to their own heads, before pushing open the door to the chamber.

Inside lay the Emperor of Taiyuan, who was awakened from his sleep by the gunshots. He was a man with long, ruffled dark hair who was attractive even at his least presentable. He had just finished pressing a hidden silent alarm under his bed. From behind Sekai, a woman wearing a traditional purple kimono, the traditional uniform of the Otome of Taiyuan rushed into the room, swinging a katana at Sekai, who leaped out of the way.

"Sakura! To me!" the emperor shouted to his Otome.

"At once, Your Majesty!" she said. He planted a kiss on her earring and she Materialized, assuming her Robe and Element, a purple set of battle armor and a wakizashi.

This was what Sekai had been waiting for, the very reason she had come here. But Sakura would not be an easy opponent to defeat, as Sekai's portals could not as easily redirect sword strikes, punches or other close-quarters attacks, and Sekai was told her wakizashi had to strike the killing blow.

Sekai swung her wakizashi, and the woman parried with her katana. The ensuing swordfight lasted about a minute, and Sekai soon had the upper hand.

A thought occurred to her. Perhaps this wasn't the full extent of Sakura's powers. Perhaps she could see what Sakura hand, what would soon be hers. But Sekai's first thought in the battle was to end it as quickly as possible, and, side-stepping a missed overhand swing, Sekai thrust her katana into Sakura's chest. Her weapon began to glow blue, as did Sakura's body. Sekai then noticed the power the woman had coming into her. A purple barrier jacket formed around her, and the woman's katana-like Element materialized in her hand.

"Thy powers art mine now, knave!" Sekai shouted triumphantly.

As Sakura breathed her last, she saw her robe fading away and changing into her kimono once again, with clean tears at her entry and exit wounds. As Sekai pulled the wakizashi out, blood poured forth from the hole in Sakura's chest, and she collapsed to the ground. Her last sight before her vision faded to black was Sekai stepping through the portal, far away from the reinforcements.

"_Your Majesty… it seems my failure somehow won't result in your death after all,"_ she thought. _"That's… a relief…"_

* * *

"Sekai has succeeded," the Avatar said to the Usurper. "Just as the Himes proved worthy of being advised about the SUEs when they defeated Hitomi, Sekai has earned the right to go into battle against the SUEs with followers under her command."

"You're sure there aren't any strings attached?" the Usurper said.

"Absolutely," the Avatar said, "although I am compelled to tell you that the Himes will have new allies on their side. By murdering an Otome and stealing her powers, Sekai has made herself an internationally wanted criminal."

"Will you be involving them as well?" the Usurper asked.

"Again, I am not on your side, just as I am not on the Himes' side," the Avatar said. "I merely am seeing that no factors, apart from ability helped by a measure of luck, will determine the winner."

Sekai stood outside a cave in the desert near one of Schwarz's bases, oblivious to the conversation, while considering how to attack Fuuka Academy. She had heard that she would receive help after her victory over Sakura, but wondered what sort she would get- not that she needed any.

A woman with shoulder-length blonde hair and a black dress approached her.

"Sekai-sama?" the woman said.

"Aye, 'tis I," Sekai said. "And thou art…"

"A representative of the Schwarz remnants," the woman said. dropping to one knee. "We have been sent to assist you in the attack on Fuuka Academy."

Something seemed too convenient to Sekai. This woman, who had just met her and likely knew nothing of her agenda, was willingly offering to help her.

"But why wouldst thou help me?" Sekai said.

"A certain individual told us we would have access to lost technology on the other side of the portal," she said. "My daughter was killed when she was on an infiltration mission for Schwarz; her death must not be in vain." The woman handed her a missive from one of her superiors.

_An opportunity has arisen. An unknown individual has told us of a girl who can connect us to a world of lost technology, if we choose to swear allegiance with her. Meet with the one known as Sekai-sama and go with the remaining forces into that world. Bring back any technology you can; we will uncover the secrets of the past._

Sekai laid her fears to rest. Her soldiers were committed, even to lay down their lives if necessary. She could use them in order to distract her forces while she harvested each Hime's power. By the time she finished, she would likely be powerful enough to proceed to the next world.

"Thou hath my condolences," Sekai said insincerely. "Thy assistance is appreciated. Ready thy forces; we will proceed to Fuuka academy at once."

"At once, Sekai-sama," the woman said.

* * *

In Garderobe's meeting room, the delegates were discussing what had transpired. Several things had seemed impossible, even with the incredible technology that made the Otomes who they are. A single woman had infiltrated the castle, killing only the three people that were the emperor's innermost line of defense. Someone had managed to overpower an Otome in single combat without appearing to be one herself. And that person had somehow escaped from the scene by teleporting, without killing the emperor. In addition to the fact that the emperor was still alive, most attackers would see the head of state as the primary target and the Otome as a mere obstacle, albeit an incredibly dangerous one whose death was a difficult, but possible, way to achieve the same result.

As such, conspiracy theories spread and accusations were leveled against one another. Who would gain by stealing an Otome's powers? Perhaps a country that, like Artai, had none of its own? And how could they get through the guards so easily? One of the surviving guards at the door was said to have been born in Zipang and brought to Taiyuan in his infancy, and another was married to a female reporter from Annan.

The meeting seemed poised to erupt into turmoil when Natsuki pounded her fist.

"Enough!" Natsuki said. "At this point, we have concluded that the attacker on the Stormy Cherry Blossom Chrysoberyl was not, in fact, any country's Otome, nor was she tied to any countries. The Five Columns will investigate this matter, and we request the cooperation of all other nations should this criminal be sighted, based on Taiyuan's description."

"That won't be necessary," a voice came from nowhere.

"Who's there?" Natsuki said, realizing that the voice, a male one, was not one of the dignitaries.

"You may call me the Advisor," the Avatar said. "I commend you for figuring out so much on the killings based on the emperor's testimony. The suspect is indeed not an Otome, but she has escaped your world and is currently beyond your reach. If you cooperate with me, however, you will be able to bring her to justice should you succeed in defeating her."

The delegates spoke among each other for several minutes, and then came to a conclusion.

"Advisor…" Natsuki said. "The delegates and I accept your suggestion. What are you proposing that we do?"

"Some of you will have to follow her through the portal. Through the portal, you will find potential allies or enemies, and there, your battle against her will take place, part of a larger conflict on that side. Succeed, and the threat will be eliminated. Fail, and she may return to your world once she is too powerful to defeat."

The Avatar then read off the names of the Otomes who would go through the portal to fight Sekai. There were murmurs of discontent as he said that only those Otomes would be allowed through, but they grudgingly quieted down when he said that they could only pursue Sekai on his terms, and that they would likely be strong enough to defeat her.

* * *

Sekai stood with several divisions of her troops, the Schwarz members forming ranks while the Orphans stood or hovered in looser groups. The Schwarz members were wary about fighting alongside the Orphans, and about launching an open attack rather than sending a Slave user to infiltrate. However, they were convinced that the world they were invading, lacking Otomes, was unprepared for their assault.

* * *

The Usurper cursed his efforts, fruitless as the ones before them as he heard the reports. Sekai was dead, as were all the Orphans and Schwarz operatives under their command. Perhaps the intervention of the Otomes had been Sekai's undoing, by virtue of adding additional opponents. Sekai was overconfident and reckless, traits that led her to overestimate her chances of victory and enter fights she had no hope of winning.

He then recalled what the Avatar had said; the Himes had been alerted to his plan to have Toki change the past because otherwise, she would be able to succeed without interference. A thought occurred to him. What if he could win without the Himes even knowing his plans? The Himes would never stand for what the SUEs or those like them would do to their world, but in cases in which the SUEs' kin had been successful, the native inhabitants had never been given an opportunity to choose whether to accept or resist the changes.

"Bachiko, Meiko, your time has come," the Usurper said.

Bachiko and Meiko appeared before him. They had researched Mai and the other Himes based on information provided by the Avatar while their comrades had fallen against him, formulating a plan for how to make their mark on the world with their powers to manipulate emotions and memories.

"You wished to see us, master?" Bachiko said.

"Have you finished compiling a list of all the changes to be made?"

"Yes, master," Bachiko said. "We will 'reconfigure' the Himes to cause Mai to get together with Mikoto, Yuuicihi to get together with Shiho and Natsuki to get together with Nao."

"And your cover story?"

"I will pose as a long-time friend of Mai's, so that I have a chance to observe all the involved parties and monitor the progress of their relationships," Bachiko said. "I had intended to pose as her cousin, but Meiko proposed otherwise."

"She could have figured it out by looking at her family tree," Meiko said. "And as an orphan, Tokiha-san does not seem to have any immediate family besides her brother. She is unlikely to have any distant relatives she is in contact with, or she would have turned to them."

"A prudent decision, Meiko," the Usurper said. "Bear in mind that if anyone becomes aware of your powers and is not immediately… neutralized, you will have to defeat all the other Himes in order to succeed."

The conditions for victory had not been the Usurper's choice; he had been opposed to forcing Bachiko and Meiko to have one of them establish a pre-Fuuka Academy connection to one of the Himes, but he had been successful in negotiating getting the SUEs a window of opportunity to silence anyone who became aware of their true nature. All that remained was to hope that they used this chance well.

"We understand, master," Meiko said.

"Then go forth, Bachiko and Meiko," the Usurper said. "Succeed where all the other SUEs failed and you shall be rewarded."

* * *

The Usurper seethed in anger at the simultaneous deaths of Bachiko and Meiko. His last, best hope for the defeat of the Himes had passed, and only one Hime had fallen, by her own decision to accept her fate rather than his manipulations.

"It would appear your SUEs have failed to defeat the Himes," the Advisor said.

"What are you here for?" The Usurper responded angrily. "To taunt me over my failure?"

"No, I intend to give you one last chance," the Advisor said. "Despite how well the Himes have performed so far, they should not simply have their complete victory handed to them without one last battle in which the fate of the world is on the line. To that end, you will be granted two additional SUEs, and allowed to possess the Obsidian Lord, gaining the Obsidian Lord's minions in the process. Succeed and the world is yours. Fail and you will die at the Himes' hands."

The Usurper sighed inwardly. There was hope for him, but it was becoming increasingly faint. He had to wonder- what odds had the Himes overcome before the SUEs arrived? How did the threat of the SUEs compare to those past hardships? How could he possibly hope to defeat them now? He was now in the position of one of the SUEs he had sent out to their deaths, but he no longer had the certainty that he would ultimately prevail.

But if he were to give up, he would relinquish his belief in his own superiority, his claim on the future of the world. So he steeled himself and waited for the Himes to arrive. The next battle would decide everything- who would survive, whose ideals were superior and who would control the fate of the world, and he would not back down from it.

* * *

The Avatar, having departed the world, considered everything that had happened. The SUEs had fallen before the Himes, but the world, while not the one any of the SUEs had envisioned, had gone off its course. Many people who would otherwise have survived had died, and the survivors' experience was different, with many suffering or causing less harm. Their lives would return to normal, but the former Himes could never forget what they had experienced, and would be different- and in some cases, stronger- people than they would have been had the SUEs never intervened or if destiny had never called upon them to be Himes.

The Avatar had made his promise to the Himes and intended to honor it. But the Himes had their lives ahead of them, and he thought it might be worthwhile to see what the future had in store for them, and what the results of their choice to preserve the current state of the world, and all those before it, would be.

Their battle had ended, but their lives and stories had not.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I apologize for the delay, which was largely due to 1)Some things coming up in real life, and 2)not having the entire chapter written in advance. I've also been working on my next project, a Lyrical Nanoha fic in which a character works to uncover, struggles to come to terms with, and ultimately contemplates the reasons and implications of, another character's betrayal.

This chapter was intended to display some information on what happened between the Himes' battles with the SUEs, as well as some of the Usurper's thought processes. He's intended to represent some authors of Mary Sues, some of which, in attempting to change the canon work to their own ends, display great contempt for the story their work is based on (a flaw I see in some attempts to deconstruct works or genres, but that's another matter), and often use canon characters and even the ones they create as a means to an end. I personally see fan fiction as a combination of what comes from the work it is based on and your own talents, tastes and style as a writer (I chose Mai-Hime as the setting for this story because it fit best with the story I hoped to tell), and believe it is important to be appropriately respectful of the source material, even when trying something different, since without it, your work would not exist.

One thing I've noticed (I'm not sure how many agree) during the development is that Shizune came off as one of the most powerful SUEs in the story, despite being fought midway through the progression of SUEs. This is in large part because, as stated before, the Himes are very dependent on their powers, compared to other series (Contrast Naruto, in which ninjas unable to use chakra can still use taijutsu and ninja tools). Partly because the SUEs' powers work similarly to the Himes, and partly because they are even more reliant on said powers, Shizune would almost certainly win any one on match with another SUE.


	29. Omake: Common Enemy Without Common Cause

**Omake: A Common Enemy Without A Common Cause**

This is a "What-if" scenario, to suggest what would happen if the SUEs were forced to work together, an alternate continuity that begins at some point during Episode 16 (with Episode 8 going as it did in canon).

* * *

As the six SUEs sat at a table together in a nondescript conference room with a long rectangular table and a conference call phone and projector on the table, the atmosphere was tense. None of them knew why they had been called there, or why, as well as who the others were, apart from the names at their seats.

The Usurper's voice, coming from the phone on the table, broke the silence and drew the SUEs' attention.

"Greetings, everyone," the Usurper said. "I am the Usurper, and I have brought you here to discuss a proposition that should be beneficial to everyone here. A world lies before us, and with your SUE powers, you should be able to claim it easily. However, a group of eleven powerful Himes- teenage girls and young women with special powers- stand in your way, and they must be defeated, or otherwise stripped of their powers or willingness to fight before you can lay claim to the world. It's up to you to determine how you go about doing so. Do you have any questions?"

Shizune raised her hand, and the Usurper, sensing from afar noticed her doing so.

"Yes, Shizune?" the Usurper said.

"Does this mean we are allowed to do precisely anything once we succeed?" Shizune said.

"Yes, anything, provided the other SUEs are amenable to it," the Usurper said. "How you achieve that consensus is another matter, but you should be all on the same page, and all willing to support, or at least accept, that decision."

Unfortunately, Shizune's absolute and unshakable faith in her convictions did not leave any room for compromise, convincing others of her plans or accepting ideas with which she disagreed. Sharing this power or the possibility of someone else gaining control of it was something she could not accept under any circumstances.

"Does God call up a committee when He deems a soul worthy of Heaven or damned to Hell?" Shizune said. "Did He ask for people's opinions on His commandments and the laws of the Bible? No! He asks for our faith and obedience, and we will give it to Him!"

"Oh, shut the hell up, you preachy, sanctimonious, self-righteous _bitch_," Hitomi said. "I don't give a rat's ass if you choose to be the slave of some imaginary man in the sky, although I do find your doing so laughable, but you've got another thing coming if you think I'm going to do the same."

"You have one chance to repent before I send you to Hell myself!" Shizune snarled. "I am not a slave, but a dutiful servant of the Lord, who rewards His children by sparing them everyone else's fate!"

Meiko shuddered as she heard what Shizune was saying. She knew that people with Shizune's mindset often despised homosexuals, and that even if she and Bachiko had a chance of defeating her, many of the people she hoped to pair up did not. For all of their sakes, Shizune had to be eliminated, and this was a sentiment Bachiko shared.

"Honestly, Otonashi," Bachiko said, "people like you give _real _Christians a bad name. If you don't cool it and agree to at least tolerate those you disagree with, I'm afraid we won't be able to work with you."

"You are truly arrogant to think you can stand against me or tell me what the 'real' way to practice my religion is," Shizune said. "The Lord has endowed upon me powers that enable me to negate all of yours, and the strength to stand against an army, like Samson did against the Philistines!"

"And who said I'm on a team, either?" Hitomi said, turning to Bachiko. "I submit to no one, be they god, human or anything else, and I have nothing but contempt for people who put aside their ideals for the sake of others. Their lives are so boring, so dull and empty that I don't think they'll mind if I take them."

The other SUEs recoiled in horror. Before, they had considered Shizune the most dangerous and mentally unstable of them all. But now that Hitomi showed no qualms about murdering them, they realized she represented a threat to all their lives, as well as a repulsive and perverse mindset that none of them could accept.

"But what if you're fighting for something or someone you value more than your own life?" Toki said. "Hayate is someone I love dearly, and value more than my own life. If my death enables Hayate to live on, I'd gladly give my life, so you shouldn't think that I would not kill you if I thought it necessary."

"Weren't you listening?" Hitomi said. "The only one I care about is myself, and I'm not about to put aside my whims to help any of you fools. You're all like livestock, and as such, it's time to fulfill your purpose and be slaughtered...Axon!"

Hitomi looked dumbfounded as neither her Element nor her Child materialized, as the rest of the SUEs looked comparably surprised.

"Axon!" Hitomi shouted again, then turned to Shizune. "What the hell? Is this your doing?"

"It's a feature of the room you are in," the Usurper said. "While in it, all your powers are nullified, even Shizune's. And it seems that this is exactly the kind of situation for which this feature was intended."

"I have a simple solution," Sekai said. "All of thee can surrender thy powers to me, and I shall use them to do the work of the entire group myself."

The SUEs shouted "NO!" in unison, and the discussion devolved into angry murmurs, with the occasional futile attempt by a SUE to summon her powers.

"That's enough!" the Usurper shouted, quieting the SUEs. "Infighting will get us nowhere, and the Himes will triumph if you kill each other. Take a ten minute break, and reconvene once you have cooled your heads."

The SUEs got up and walked off into the halls, going their separate ways.

* * *

"Excuse me… Asahina-san?" Meiko said, as she and Bachiko approached Toki after the meeting, in a hallway outside the meeting room.

"What is it?" Toki said, as Meiko looked around to ensure no one else was listening.

"I'd like to make a proposal, seeing as you're one of the more reasonable of us. We could cooperate, to achieve each other's goals; you can ensure that you can get together with Hayate, and we will change the relationships of the students, as we feel is necessary."

"How do I know that you're not going to change Hayate, or make either of us fall in love with someone else?" Toki said. "If you're willing to manipulate everyone else, you probably think someone else is better for me, don't you?"

While Meiko was taken aback at Toki's accusation, Bachiko sighed as if to say "I told you so." She had opposed the idea of bringing additional people in on their plan, reasoning that the two of them would work well enough.

"No, we don't know who Hayate is," Meiko said. "But we do believe that it would be easier to deal with the other SUEs who don't want to cooperate with anyone if we team up. Otonashi-san and Kirihara-san have already alienated themselves from the others, who will likely try to deal with them at the first opportunity. That leaves Sekai-san, who will be unable to stand against the three of us."

"And what then?" Toki said. "Your goal is different than mine, so I can't be certain you won't betray me before or after all our opponents have been defeated."

"That may be true, but..." Meiko began, before trailing off. Toki had no interest in hearing what she intended to say next, and shook her head.

"In any case, I don't need your help to achieve my goal," Toki said. "All I can offer to you is the suggestion that you stay out of my way, and you'll have one less person to deal with." Toki then turned around and walked off before Meiko could say anything more.

Meiko sighed, as she turned to Bachiko.

"It seems you were right about Asahina-san, Bachiko," she said. "None of the others want to cooperate with us. I should have realized this earlier- even if our plans don't conflict, what reason do they have to let us succeed?"

"Still, you have a point that we have the two of us, whereas everyone else is acting alone," Bachiko said. "As long as we stick together, we should come out on top."

"Perhaps we should wait out the others," Meiko said. "They seem disposed to take aggressive action, and it's possible that they'll eliminate those they see as a threat. Once they've all been disposed of, we'll move in and start playing matchmaker."

* * *

As the SUEs reconvened the meeting, they collectively grimaced at the prospect of being brought together with those they despised, for a process that they believed would be futile, as virtually none were willing to even consider collaborating.

"Why are we coming back together, anyway?' Hitomi said. "This is clearly a waste of time."

The door opened behind Hitomi, and Mariko walked into the room.

"I apologize for being late," Mariko said, before taking her seat. In truth, she was not late by any fault of her own, but by the Usurper having delayed her arrival to see her effect on the group.

"We were discussing our plan to either eliminate the Himes or force them to submit to our will, so that we can gain control of their world," the Usurper said. "Perhaps you have an idea for how to accomplish this?"

"I will do no such thing!" Mariko said indignantly. "By doing so, you violate their free will and steal what does not belong to you!"

"But haven't you considered whether these people need our guidance, Suou-san?" Meiko said. "They often make terrible decisions in life, especially in love, when they're ruled by their emotions."

"I can't contest that point, Moriya-san," Mariko said. "But what makes you think that you're much better than they are to make that decision? And if they make mistakes, shouldn't they at least be _their_ mistakes, and shouldn't they earn the negative and positive consequences of their actions?"

"Have you ever considered, Mariko, how much you have earned yourself?" the Usurper said. "What if everything you ever had- your beauty, your grades, your maturity, your popularity and everything else- were given to you by someone else, for the sake of using you to enter another world and sway it to that person's will?"

"Th-that's impossible," Mariko said. "After Mother and Father died, life was often difficult, even with the wealth they left behind. I had to try hard to get by after that, and if I have many things, it's because I earned them!"

"Tell me, Mariko, can you recall a time when a person disliked or disagreed with you?" Mariko shook her head. "They agreed with you and loved you because your powers, unbeknownst to you or them, compelled them to do so. And now, you are in a room that negates your powers, and not one of the SUEs approves of your desire to relinquish our claim on the world. Although, I should note that none of the other SUEs can use their powers, either, and thus, your present survival is another consequence of the room's properties; what's good for the goose is good for the gander."

Mariko looked around at the other SUEs glaring at her, and hung her head in despair. She was clearly outnumbered on this matter, but more importantly, was the Usurper correct? Had her entire life truly been handed to her on a silver platter? And if this was true, who was she, and what was she meant to do? Her lack of parents made sense, since it possibly was meant to explain her lack of an origin, or simply in a ploy to inspire sympathy for her. Under that scenario, the people who sympathized with or admired her were being manipulated, just like she was. But how would people regard her, if given a chance to do so without being told what to think? Mariko found no answers, only more and more uncomfortable questions.

With Mariko having fallen silent, the Usurper resumed addressing the SUEs. He knew she was troublesome, but also that the Avatar wanted her to participate, and hoped that she had been adequately cowed into submission.

"This is my final decision," the Usurper said firmly. "All of you will cooperate against the Himes, and victory will be achieved when all of the Himes are dead, no longer in possession of their powers, or no longer willing to fight you. The SUE who contributes the most to the final victory will be granted sole control of the world, but only if all of the Himes are killed or neutralized. Any SUE who betrays or raises a hand against another will be considered a traitor, and killing traitors will be seen as a contribution to the effort against the Himes for purposes of crediting the most valuable SUE. Am I understood?"

The SUEs silently and reluctantly nodded. None of them relished having to cooperate or trusted most of the others, but each realized that open betrayal would result in the rest of the SUEs cooperating to kill her, or at least, competing for the opportunity to do so first.

"Then it's settled," The Usurper said. "Go forth to a safehouse I have in the world of the Himes. There, you will find what you will need to infiltrate Fuuka Academy. Your powers and your skills will ultimately be what you need to win. Good luck, and remember; cooperation and teamwork will be rewarded, while betrayal and selfishness will be punished."

* * *

The SUEs materialized the safehouse, hidden in downtown Fuuka. They were dressed in the uniforms worn by high school age girls at Fuuka Academy. A day had passed since the Searrs Foundation troops had been forced to withdraw from the Fuuka Academy campus, and Alyssa Searrs and Joseph Greer had died. It had also been a few weeks since Higurashi Akane had lost her Child, the boy she loved and her sanity in rapid succession.

The SUEs had been told that attempting to integrate themselves into the Fuuka Academy community, and in order to prepare for it, they perused their copy of the Fuuka Academy student handbook.

"I can change everyone's memories so that they assume that we've been here all along, but how are we going to fabricate concrete proof that we were there?" Meiko said.

"Leave that to me," Bachiko said. "I should be able to break into the system and alter the records to have us registered as students. The paper trail may be another issue, but if we have them convinced that it was lost, we should be able to pull it off well enough for no one to ask questions."

"Must we undertake such superfluous subterfuge?" Sekai said. "Our powers should be more than sufficient to vanquish our foes."

"It will leave us able to observe the Himes without being detected," Meiko said. "This is an important tactical advantage, and if we go for a subtler strategy, this will enable us to observe the Himes up close over time and choose the best moment to strike."

What Meiko left unsaid was the fact that this was mainly expedient for _her and Bachiko's_ plans. But the other SUEs were cognizant of this, or at least the fact that their own plans did not require any such advantage.

Suddenly, an idea came to Mariko. The room was no longer inhibiting the other SUEs' powers, but now, the same applied to her.

"The question we should be asking ourselves, more than _how_ we plan to go about doing this, is _should_ we be trying this?"

"What do you mean, Suou-san?" Shizune asked with a tone that indicated polite curiosity rather than outrage or disbelief. Mariko took pleasure in hearing this; her powers were already taking hold.

"In order to win, we must potentially sacrifice 10 more innocent victims, while potentially giving up our own lives, as well as the lives of those we cherish the most. And for what? Do our goals mean so much to us that we'd risk everything and cause harm to others for them?"

"No," Toki said, enthralled by Mariko's power. "Hayate is important to me, but does that mean that our bond outweighs anyone else's lives? Perhaps someone harmed or killed by our plans is as precious to someone else as Hayate is to me."

"But how do you think we can learn to live in this world without our powers, Suou-san?" Sekai said.

"You will learn a way," Mariko said. "I believe that if we work hard at it, we can succeed. It's the difficult path, but the right one, and ultimately the most rewarding one"

As the other SUEs capitulated to Mariko's will, she felt a twinge of guilt in her mind. While she had been unwittingly using her powers in the past, she had now knowingly and intentionally used hers this time to violate the free will of her fellow SUEs while hypocritically suggesting that they try to lead normal lives. But another part of her objected to this notion; by acting now, she had potentially saved many lives, including those of the SUEs themselves. So long as she resolved to, from this moment forward, adhere to the same restriction as the SUEs, they would all be able to live normal lives.

Or at least until the temptation overcame her again, the part of her conscience that objected to the plan responded.

* * *

"Interesting…" the Avatar said to the Usurper. "Mariko has indeed chosen to not to try to control the world, and used her powers to convince the others to do the same." He also pondered the ramifications of using her powers in order to sway the rest of the SUEs to forego using theirs, as well as whether it was hypocritical or a necessary evil.

"And yet this contest has ground to a halt," the Usurper said. "None of the SUEs will make a move against the Himes, nor do the Himes know of their existence. Does this mean our defeat?"

"It doesn't have to," the Avatar said. "The SUEs are no longer fighting against the Himes, but largely because one of their number has chosen to act counter to their plans, rather than because the Himes were able to thwart their plans. But such an outcome still does not necessarily mean the superiority of the SUEs over the Himes, and if your SUEs cannot prove their superiority, they will not win; it is up to you to prove that the SUEs can overcome this obstacle, and that one renegade SUE cannot derail the efforts of the remaining six."

The Usurper pondered the situation for the moment. It seemed impossible to sway the SUEs to oppose someone with almost limitless influence over them. But then he realized that there was one SUE who had an attachment comparable to her bond with Mariko, as well as an ability that would render Mariko's ability useless.

* * *

Shizune sat in quiet contemplation. Mariko had not taken the opportunity to convince her to abandon or moderate her religious beliefs, so she grappled with the contradictions her beliefs posed. She loved Mariko more than anyone else, so why should she have to kill her because her God told her to do so? And what could she say to convince Mariko to accept her God without threatening their friendship?

"_Shizune, it is I, your God_," the Usurper's voice said inside her mind. Shizune had heard the Usurper before, but did not recognize it once it was inside her mind, rather than through a speaker. _"Listen carefully- you are under a Satanic spell cast by the Antichrist herself."_

"_Suou-san?"_ Hitomi said. _"But she's my best friend."_

_She intends to tempt you to abandon your crusade," _the Usurper said,_ "and once she succeeds, you and all the other God-fearing Christians will be dragged down to Hell. But you alone have the power to stop her. Summon forth your Element, and you will have the strength to resist her demonic powers."_

Shizune hesitated for a moment, unwilling to believe the Usurper's claims that she had been manipulated, even if she believed that God was telling them to her. But she then reasoned that her friendship with Mariko was deep enough that it would not be affected by her activating her powers. And in her mind, Mariko would not wish for her to be forced to choose between their friendship and her faith.

Shizune called forth her Element, and the sword and shield appeared in her hand. The Silencing Aura extended, and encompassed a large enough radius that Mariko's powers were reduced to the point at which they barely affected Shizune. Brief impulses to hesitate flashed through Shizune's mind, but they were quickly drowned out by a fierce hatred for her for manipulating her, and a deep, murderous zeal.

"_Please forgive Your servant for doubting You, Lord," _Shizune responded to the Usurper. _"What is Your command?"_

"_Find and dispose of the heretic, Suou Mariko,"_ the Usurper said.

Shizune walked into the room nearby, where Mariko was sitting on a couch. Terrified at the sight of Shizune's Element and the bloodthirsty glare on her face, Mariko rose to her feet in an attempt to escape.

"Argus!" she yelled, and her Child sprung forth. The Child put its Silencing Sigil onto Mariko, removing the last vestiges of her control over Shizune and the other SUEs. Mariko collapsed to her knees, in horror, as she realized her plight. Her plan to dissuade Shizune by manipulating her had failed, and now, without her powers, there was nothing to save her from Shizune's wrath.

"Your powers are perverse, and you seek to bend the entire world to your will," Shizune said. "Your very existence is an abomination against God- you cannot be allowed to live."

As the blade swung toward her neck, Mariko pondered her fate. Everything had been given to her as a result of her powers, so that she could fulfill a role intended for her by her creator. The only way to resist was by using the same powers to subvert the Usurper's plan. And now that it had failed, she was left powerless and at Shizune's mercy, faring as much of a chance against her as an ordinary unarmed, untrained and powerless human being.

"_Perhaps I could never hope to live as an ordinary human being,"_ Mariko thought. _"But at the very least, I can die as one."_

Shizune's Element then cut across Mariko's neck, severing her head.

* * *

Downstairs in the safehouse, Bachiko and Meiko, stood in front of Sekai, preparing to head out into the city to shop for supplies. At that moment, Shizune placed the Silencing Sigil on Mariko, nullifying her powers and restoring them to their prior personalities.

Sekai, forgetting the girl whose powers had forced them to unite around her and forsake their mission, cursed herself for wasting so much valuable time. Who knew how close the other SUEs were to eliminating the Himes and securing the Usurper's favor? Throwing all caution to the wind and disregarding the Usurper's warning against infighting, Sekai quickly summoned her Element and thrust it into Meiko's back. Meiko's memory-erasing powers were potentially problematic, and a pre-emptive strike would be necessary to save her trouble later on.

"Ba…ch-chi…k-ko…" Meiko stammered, blood pouring from her mouth and the wound in her chest, before she expired.

"Why you-" Bachiko said. She realized that her power of summoning hornets was not very useful in a fight against Sekai, especially now that Sekai was now in possession of Meiko's powers. But she temporarily forgot this fact, blinded by grief, rage and a desire to avenge Meiko.

Another fact she forgot for a moment was who Meiko had valued most, and the price Meiko had to pay for her defeat. Before she or Sekai could launch an attack on the other, Bachiko doubled over, and collapsed onto her hands and her knees, as pain flowed through her body.

"Meiko… I'm sorry…" she said, as she looked up at Sekai, her and Meiko's killer, despairingly. "I couldn't even… avenge you…" There were many things she wanted- Sekai back, her powers, or even a few more seconds' opportunity to claim vengeance on Sekai. But in the end, Bachiko could have none of those things, and spent the few seconds before she disappeared in silent despair, along with Meiko's corpse.

* * *

As blood poured from Mariko's headless neck, Shizune swiped the blood off her blade, and dropped to her knees in prayer, only assuming that she had killed an enemy of the Christian faith; all her memories of Mariko after her death.

"_Lord, Your servant awaits Your command,"_ Shizune said to the Usurper.

The Usurper, having witnessed Bachiko and Meiko's deaths, realized that fighting had started to break out between the SUEs. He concluded that Sekai had become a liability, since while it was possible that she could absorb the other SUEs' powers, it was more likely that her recklessness and impatience would lead her into a confrontation with the Himes that she could not hope to win, or would cause her to squander a potential opportunity for victory by failing to do what was necessary.

"_The one known as Sekai is seeking to harvest others' powers for her own ends. Kill her before she becomes unstoppable,"_ the Usurper said to Shizune.

"_As You command, Lord," _ Shizune responded.

Suddenly, Shizune found herself under the control of another, while fading in and out of consciousness. She noticed that someone was trying to pull the blade of her sword closer to her throat, and in her conscious moments, resisted the command as much as she was able.

Hitomi stepped out into the room to investigate the interference, realizing that Shizune's Silencing Aura was enabling her to occasionally break free of her control. It was bad enough that Shizune had killed the other person in the room before she could, but she could not comprehend why Shizune was resisting the command to commit suicide with her own sword.

_"Just die already, dammit!" _Hitomi thought. _"You keep talking about Heaven and how good it is- why don't I send you to it?"_

This moment of carelessness sealed Hitomi's fate. Shizune's Child, still present, fired a Silencing Sigil at her, and it transferred from Mariko's headless corpse to Hitomi's body.

"What?!" Hitomi began as Shizune darted forward, "No, that's not poss-"

She was cut off by Shizune thrusting her sword into her chest. Paralyzed by her pain and the shock of her powers, which she had relied so heavily on, failing her at a crucial moment, Hitomi could do nothing but stare at Shizune.

"Your powers were meant to fail you the moment they went against God's power," Shizune said. "Go join your master in Hell and see how Satan always betrays his slaves."

As Shizune withdrew her sword, Hitomi crumpled to the floor, blood pouring from the wound in her chest.

* * *

Toki slipped out of the safehouse, and into an abandoned parking garage. She considered herself fortunate; she had not stood out among the other SUEs, and she had not presented herself as an obstacle to anyone else's plans. She considered all the infighting and killing between the SUEs pointless- what was the importance of the present if she planned to change the past?

She heard footsteps behind her, and slowly turned around to look at the noise. She did not initially suspect that the interloper posed any threat to her plan, but realized that any witnesses could be potentially troublesome, especially if they were being controlled by Hitomi.

Toki then saw that her attacker, whom she recognized as Sekai, was closer to her than she would like. Only her slowing down time was enough to avoid a fatal sword thrust, as she ducked under the blow. As Sekai slowly retracted the blade, Toki dropped a grenade at Sekai's feet, and then leaped away, in the direction from which Sekai had approached. A large explosion came near Sekai's feet, but as the smoke cleared, Toki saw a barrier of light- Meiko's shield ability- and behind it, Sekai herself.

"Surrender thy powers," Sekai said. "Thy strength is insufficient to achieve thy goal, yet it will augment my own efforts."

Toki glowered in rage at Sekai. She had been prepared to pay any price to make her dreams come true. If no one's life besides hers and Hayate's mattered, why should she surrender to Sekai?

Toki activated her power to slow time again, and readied another grenade as Sekai charged forward. But something was off; Sekai was charging forward too quickly, at the pace of a brisk walk rather than being stuck running in place. Toki froze in horror as Sekai strode forward, out of the blast radius, and attempted to ready another grenade.

Just as Toki succeeded in arming the grenade, Sekai's Element thrust into her chest, and it slipped out of her hand. With the grenade moments from exploding, Sekai used her newly acquired time manipulation powers to hop to the side and raise a deflector shield around herself.

Toki, bleeding to death and standing above a grenade about to detonate, realized at that moment that because of the nature of her powers, her life was not the only thing she would lose.

"_Hayate… I'm sorry… in trying to allow us to be together, I got both of us killed…"_ were Toki's last thoughts.

Toki's final grenade detonated, incinerating her body.

* * *

As Sekai stood, looking at the spot where Toki had once stood, she realized that something had seemed wrong about the final moments of their duel. Toki's reaction had been slow that time; before, she had a vastly greater amount of time to make her moves, enabling her to dodge Sekai's attacks, counterattack and escape to safety before Sekai could press the attack. This time, it was clear that Toki had less time, but it was as if Toki was just as surprised at being suddenly slowed.

She suddenly found her answer as a Silencing Sigil hit her in the chest.

"Otonashi Shizune!" Sekai snarled.

Shizune walked forward, giving an indifferent glimpse to the charred hole around Toki's remains. The Usurper had instructed her to kill Sekai, the rogue SUE, and had forbidden her from killing Toki, but had not ordered Shizune to save her. Shizune was glad that Toki was dead, as she was willing to disrupt time itself for the sake of someone Shizune would most likely have found unworthy of living in what she saw as a promised utopia.

Sekai fell back and tried to crawl away, the shock of losing her powers having taken away her footing. Having defined herself by the many abilities she had acquired, extraordinary alone and almost unstoppable together, she was now failing to perform the most basic type of ambulation.

And so, as Shizune raised her sword, Sekai stopped trying to resist, and merely closed her eyes as the blade descended to her neck.

"_So this is what it feels like to be powerless,"_Sekai thought.

The Usurper assessed the situation and despaired. His favored pawn had triumphed, but at the cost of all the other SUEs, and most likely, the Avatar's favor. Only an overwhelming victory against the Himes would be enough to prove the SUEs' superiority, as their disastrous failure at cooperating with each other would mean that they could only succeed on their own..

Shizune started to walk away, but soon encountered two police officers, having been drawn there by the explosions. Seeing Shizune with a blood-stained weapon and a decapitated corpse nearby, they immediately understood what had transpired.

"Freeze, police!" two police officers said, while pointing their pistols at Shizune.

Shizune quickly charged the two police officers, swinging her sword, and cutting them down. As they fell, she noticed something. One of the officers had shot her in the chest during the confrontation.

Shizune tried to walk away, but felt her strength draining, and, falling to her side, collapsed between two parked cars.

"_Lord, I gladly give my life for You," _Shizune thought. _"But I never imagined… that my single life… would only make this much difference…"_

Shizune quickly slipped into unconsciousness. Within minutes, she was found and taken to the local hospital.

She was pronounced dead on arrival.

* * *

"It would seem the Himes are not necessarily the SUEs' worst enemies," the Avatar said. "Their type is accustomed to working alone, so they have little concept of how to cooperate- even Meiko did not truly understand how to compromise with Toki for the sake of forming an alliance, or how to coordinate their efforts. But most of them had radically different agendas, seeking to force their own agendas on the world while refusing to accept anyone else's or compromise. Indeed, why would they have to do any of those things if they got their way all the time?"

The Avatar's words barely registered to the Usurper, as he seethed in anger over the SUEs' dying so senselessly and without making any progress toward their goal. In his rage, he blamed everyone involved but himself.

"Those fools…" the Usurper muttered. "All seven of them died without the Himes even having to raise a finger!"

"The SUEs, by definition, are typically meant to do alone what entire groups could not accomplish together," the Avatar said. "In that sense, Sekai was not wrong in thinking that she could potentially do such a thing; she was only mistaken in thinking herself strong enough to do so at the moment. The Himes have the potential to turn on each other when influenced by desperation, paranoia or the manipulation of others, but when the enemy is visible and too strong for them to face alone, they can stand against it together, realizing that their differences are not what matters at the moment."

"This hardly proves anything," the Usurper said. "Do we even have any proof that the Himes can work together in a crisis? If not, we can hardly consider them superior to the SUEs"

"The Himes have been tested by the Orphans and the Searrs Foundation and will be tested again in the near future," the Advisor said. He showed a vision of the Obsidian Lord, emboldened by the number of pillars rising, accelerating his plan and attempting to dispose of the Himes he did not need, only to be defeated by the combined efforts of the Himes. "But perhaps we should try again, with different parameters, to see the answer to our question. If cooperation is a pointless and counterproductive exercise for the SUEs, perhaps they should be given the opportunity to fight alone, to see whether they are able to stand against an entire world and bend it to their will."

And so, the Avatar rewound time, hoping to set up a new confrontation between the Himes and the SUEs. The Usurper's memories of what had transpired were removed, but in his place, the Avatar left the lesson that he had learned- that the SUEs, who sought to have their own way across the entire world, could not make the necessary sacrifices and compromises to cooperate with others.

* * *

Mai sat at a table in Fuuka Academy at lunch time, talking with Aoi and Chie. Their current subject of conversation was a certain highly popular student who happened to be in Mai's class.

"You know, I think I heard Akane-chan mention her before," Mai said. "But for some reason, I'm having a hard time putting my finger on just why she is so popular."

Chie chuckled, amused and slightly surprised at Mai's unfamiliarity with the student everyone else knew so well and loved so dearly.

"You're still new around here, Mai," Chie said. "It's natural that it's a bit hard for you to wrap your head around everything that there is to like about her, but it's probably something you should experience for yourself."

"Excuse me, Tokiha Mai-san?" someone behind Mai said.

Mai turned around, and found an exceptionally beautiful and graceful blue-haired individual. She looked slightly like Natsuki, but had a charming and graceful air that Natsuki lacked.

"Yes, that's my name," Mai said, enchanted. "Just wondering, how do you know me?"

"Higurashi-san has told me much about you, and how she considers you a good person and a good friend," she said. "But I am forgetting my manners, Tokiha-san. My name is Suou Mariko, and it's a pleasure to meet you."

* * *

**Author's Note**: This was an idea that I had while working on this fic; what would happen if the SUEs were forced to work together? The short answer is that because of their personalities being better suited to acting unilaterally, and their sometimes mutually exclusive desires (which typically involve enforcing their own will on the world), they are unable to do so. Furthermore, as some of the Mary Sues I've seen solve their problems with violence, they will likely end up killing each other. This omake is essentially the long answer, albeit one possible outcome.

I hope Mariko's personality doesn't come off as too surprising; while many Mary Sues have rather questionable moral priorities (Bachiko, Meiko, Toki, Makoto, Suzuka), if they are not utterly psychotic and twisted (Sekai, Shizune and _especially_ Hitomi), others are paragons of virtue and are intended to be completely pure and flawless, without having to struggle with their flaws. Mariko, in this case, hears some uncomfortable truths about things she had accepted unquestioningly, and is faced with a more complex moral quandary than she is accustomed to.

I set up a poll in my profile, asking which SUE the readers like most. As much as the SUEs are meant to represent shallow and unbelievable characters, I'm curious to see which ones you think played that role the best.


	30. Omake: Reflecting on the Carnival

**Omake: Reflecting On The Carnival  
**

This is a collection of diary entries, written in the aftermath of the battle, in which some of the now former Himes and their companions reflect on the battles and how much they've changed. It's also the final installment, at least until I choose to revisit the Himes after the Carnival.

**Midori's second excerpt**

_The battle has ended, with hardly anyone knowing that it even had begun. And yet, for better or for worse, most of us would have it no other way. We'll most likely never be hailed as heroes, or given any reward, but if luck is with us, we will never be hunted down for revenge or dragged into any further battles. For most of us, it's enough to stay alive with the people we love most, and to take control of our own lives. Why else would we all have refused what the Usurper had to offer? After all, it's our world, too, and even those of us who didn't care for others don't want to live in a world under the Usurper's control.  
_

_I sometimes wonder why we were chosen to become Himes, and later, to fight the SUEs. None of us have great strengths, and many of us had weaknesses that proved to be notable impediments to working together or fighting the Orphans, the SUEs and the masterminds behind the Carnival. This is especially true of Sister Yukariko, who broke at some point, fell to temptation and undid her mistake at the cost of her life. And I wish I had been there for her, to provide her support and help as friend and one of the Hime Sentai; I was never the perfect leader for this unlikely group, either.  
_

_But then I realize that it is possible that we were chosen because we were imperfect. Maybe the Obsidian Lord hoped our weaknesses would turn us on each other. Maybe the Usurper hoped that we would never be able to defeat the "perfect" SUEs. Maybe the Avatar believed that because we were imperfect, we could become stronger and defeat the SUEs. Maybe it was all just chance. But the fate of the world rested in a small group of young people with diverse personalities and motivations, and against all odds, we triumphed.  
_

_Perhaps most people sat back and watched us do all the work, albeit because they didn't know there was even a battle going on- I know the First District took great pains to keep them from finding out. But in the end, the greater battle is as much theirs as is it is ours; to show that we even if we can't make the world perfect, we can make it worth living in. And it gives me hope that if each of us can change ourselves, changing the world is possible if all of us do.  
_

* * *

**Haruka's excerpt**

_Yukino once told me she wrote a diary so that she would remember the person she used to be. I decided to do so in order to see how I change over time._

_Yukino and I have had opposite problems for as long as we can remember. I frequently take on challenges I have no hope of completing, and Yukino often shies away from challenges well within her ability merely because she underestimates herself._

_After my initial outrage over being kept in the dark, it was oddly fitting in a way to see that Yukino, not I, was the one who had superpowers. It explained why she had an odd birthmark on her arm, or why she, despite being nearsighted enough to need glasses since she was little, insisted on seeing a red star near the moon. But Yukino, after telling me about her powers as a Hime, told me her powers were not suited to direct combat, and there were many enemies more powerful than even the strongest of her allies._

_Although I rarely admit such feelings, that claim worried me. Tokiha had apparently burned a path through the forest one night and left a charred crater on her arrival at Fuuka Academy. The idea that there was anyone more powerful than her raised the question of what such an individual would do to the school, as well as what I could do against such a person._

_But at the same meeting, Fujino, who happened to be a Hime on top of being a much better student and practically Empress of Fuuka Academy in power and popularity, suggested that there was a way I could help, by helping keep order and prevent the students from coming into contact with the SUEs. I was able to successfully evacuate the campus, but eventually, the SUEs' attacks became too brazen and morale became too low, forcing the administration to shut down the school._

_I was on the verge of giving up, but Yukino never did. She later confessed to me that her fear was still present, but what had changed was that she had the resolve to keep it from preventing her from doing what was right. With the help of the other Himes, she defeated the one called the Usurper and the Obsidian Lord, saving the school and possibly the world. The old, timid Yukino was gone, replaced by the girl who determinedly marched off to the final battle and who came back victorious. _

_Admittedly, an enemy too strong for any of the now former Himes to defeat arose in the battle (although Kuga, for all I dislike her, showed some true guts in trying to take him down), but Yukino had changed herself, stood against a group of seemingly perfect beings and emerged victorious. She told me that I had given her the strength to do all that. And when I suggested her powers might have helped, she said even the powers and personal qualities she and her allies possessed at the start was not enough, and that she had to improve herself in order to survive.  
_

_Perhaps I can still improve myself, too. Perhaps there are some things I have never tried, some distances to which I have never pushed myself. Perhaps this time, Yukino can serve as my inspiration, rather than the other way around._

* * *

**Akira's excerpt**

_From an outsider's perspective, what I've been through in the weeks since my gender became public knowledge would seem quite shocking, and even the subject of gossip. It's almost unheard of that I would attempt to disguise it, especially at a coed school like Fuuka Academy. And even with the "help" from the outgoing administration and student council, I had to attend several disciplinary hearings and write a letter of apology as punishment. But all of this seems so mundane for once, as though things are returning to the way things should be._

_There are some adjustments, however. First, I was required to purchase a female uniform. Second, there was the reaction to my gender becoming public, although it was not as unfavorable as I had feared. This mainly consists of people changing how they speak to me; I'm now "-san" to relative strangers, "-chan" to my friends, and Takumi has, at my suggestion, dropped the honorific altogether. Third, I had to move out of Takumi's room and get a new roommate. Her name is Yumemiya Arika, and she is, surprisingly, a student who transferred __**to **__rather than __**out of,**__ here. As such, she is ignorant of everything that happened here, even the rumors surrounding the events.  
_

_But I am also slowly adjusting to my environment. I no longer size up every single girl as though they could be an enemy. I no longer consider things such as going to the bathroom, throwing a tampon in the garbage or taking off my shirt risk factors that could compromise my identity. Trusting people can lead to betrayal, but living life while looking behind your back all the time can lead to situations in which you reject an honestly helping hand._

_Ultimately, I feel as though the future is now my own, rather than belonging to my clan or made for me as a Hime. I will need to find some form of employment in the future, cultivate my interests and maintain my relationship with Takumi. Few things are certain but many paths are open, and the freedom and responsibility to run my own life is within my hands._

* * *

**Yukino's second excerpt**

_Sometimes, the gifts we receive do not give us new abilities, but rather give us the ability to do what we had the potential to do all along._

_Before this, I never even would have considered stepping forward and volunteering for anything this major; Haruka-chan even had to talk me into working with her on the executive committee. Few of us would willingly step forward to risk our lives and those of the people we care for most to fight threats like this one, but once it was shown that we were the only ones capable of doing so, we had no choice but to play the roles we were given. And once we began, we realized that we did have the capability to overcome the odds.  
_

_Of course, a certain amount of natural fear remains in me. I have lived a good life so far, and would fear it ending prematurely. But when Kuga-san prepared to finish off Haruka-chan's doppelganger, I realized that the doppelganger might have been programmed to regard me as her most important person, but accepted the risk in order to defeat her._

_I also talked with Fujino-san recently, and learned about what had went on in her mind, and how her personality had been altered on the day the school closed. She had been forced into admitting her love for Kuga-san, but when she was restored to normal, she stood by those words, and was rewarded with Kuga-san's acceptance of her feelings. I feel as though I misjudged Fujino-san in a few aspects, and learned that she is, at her core, as human as Haruka-chan and I are. She is also capable of doubting herself and being paralyzed by fear and indecision, and sometimes acts in spite of her fears because circumstances have forced her hand. For the first time, I felt as though I was seeing the "real" Fujino-san, even after working and fighting alongside her for so long. Ironically, in seeing the less "desirable" aspects of her that she had tried to hide for so long, I actually admire her somewhat more, and find myself relating to her more easily._

_The rest of the Himes had their own problems that not even those closet to them knew about (and in some cases, they were most afraid to confide in such people), and I learned that confidence is often more what you are acting as than what you are. As such, I no longer feel as weak as I once did, less because of the progress I've made and more because I realize that I am not the only one facing personal doubts and inner struggles. If other people are grappling with their inner doubts and weaknesses, it is not so unusual that I am grappling with mine. If even the strongest people have such problems, then perhaps they are closer to me than I think. If others can come to terms with their problems, so can I._

_In the end, I have my own weaknesses, as all human beings do; I am still a relatively shy, nervous and timid individual. But I have taken steps toward minimizing these weaknesses and ensuring that they do not hold me back, which I hope will make me successful in the struggles that all people must face._

* * *

**Shiho's Excerpt**

_What happens when you pursue something for so long only to find that it's always been out of your reach? For a long time I have been in love with "Onii-chan," Tate Yuuichi. Initially I wondered if it was merely seeing him as an older brother figure. But after he was injured and his personality turned darker and bitterer, many of those closest to him were forced to re-evaluate their relationship with him. Most of those outside the Tate family decided he was no longer worth the effort and abandoned him. But in my case, I realized the truth; I loved him romantically, and wanted to enjoy happiness together. And I was willing to persist and stay by his side, knowing that the day would come when he would appreciate my doing so. And as he returned to the person he once was, and his bitterness subsided.  
_

_I would like to think I had a chance with him at some point. But I suspect, in retrospect, that he always saw me as a friend, albeit a close one, and couldn't quite bring himself to tell me. And although he ended up with Mai-san, I don't think it was love at first sight, but it seems things between the two of them developed far more quickly than my feelings for him had. In any event, it was easier to blame Mai-san than blame Onii-chan, and easier even to blame Onii-chan than to accept that we would never be together._

_But hope endured, and it led me to try to do terrible things in order to keep Onii-chan. Ironically, my desperate attempts to secure Onii-chan for myself would have led to a far more permanent separation from him than anything Mai-san could have done, had either of us defeated the other. And it is only thanks to her hesitance to attack me and Kikukawa-san subduing me that Onii-chan did not suffer from my jealous rage._

_In the end, I have accepted that Mai-san and Onii-chan deserve to be together. They love each other, and, unlike me, are not willing to sacrifice others for that bond. And I stand by the words I said to the Usurper; indeed, with time, I may find something else that is comparable to the love of Onii-chan that I desired. But although my mind knows this is the truth, my heart still aches with unrequited love I cannot forget so easily, as well as the guilt over my actions that is equally unforgettable._

_Mai-san told me that on the same night I attacked her for the second time, she rejected the chance to undo her greatest mistake, ensure that Takumi-kun remained healthy and possibly even save her parents from death. She told me that it was for the sake of preventing a temporal paradox, which gave me little more comfort than my belief that it was right for her to be with Onii-chan did. But then Mai-san said our good and bad decisions defined us, and that while it is tempting to undo or even forget a mistake, we should accept our mistakes and misdeeds and instead resolve to become a better person. And so I hope to record this diary, so that I can never forget this mistake, and whenever I wallow in self-pity, I can return to it and remind myself of what I know to be true.  
_

_So someday I will find another person I will be able to love unselfishly. But until that day comes, I will continue to cheer for Onii-chan and Mai-san, as a way for repaying them for not abandoning me after what I have done. I think Onii-chan doing so is proof that he cares for me, if not in the way I wanted. Perhaps one day that will be enough for me._

* * *

**Mikoto's second excerpt**_  
_

_I did it. I finally found my brother.  
_

_I've imagined this for so long that I didn't have a consistent idea of what to expect. But the meeting itself was not among my wildest hopes or worst fears. He didn't know what to think at first, having had a sister all this time that he wasn't aware of. I wonder if he thought I was the sister of the Obsidian Lord- that part of him he seemed vaguely aware of, but didn't know what it was. It had been established that the Obsidian Lord was a separate person from Kanzaki Reito, and so perhaps he wondered if I too, was a part of that identity that he had cast off._

_And so, in the initial time after the last battle, I was gripped by disappointment, knowing my search was over but what i had found was not what I had wanted all this time. But over time, we talked and bonded, and I found myself growing closer to him. He likes Mai, is fairly good with a sword, and like me, hates spicy foods. The list goes on and on, but we have more in common than I thought even if he is not quite the person I imagined.  
_

_Shizuru told me, in the middle of this process, that perhaps I was expecting too much out of my brother, and that after searching for so long, my expectations were built up so high he could not possibly meet them. Upon considering this statement, I agree with it; only by emptying my mind of preconceptions in the course of my disillusionment could I accept my brother for what he was. He said he had his share of adjustments to do once he learned he had a sister, but happiness was the one emotion he felt more than any other during the process.  
_

_And now that the journey is over, I can look back and see what I've gained in the course of it. I've met and befriended Mai and the others, fought alongside them against the SUEs, and learned a great deal about loving other people. Mai is sometimes overprotective, but if that's a flaw, she has tried to address it. And I've learned that loving other people means accepting their strengths and their shortcomings.  
_

_So what happens next? Perhaps I may have to find out for myself. Grandfather was the one who, with his dying breaths, charged me with finding my brother, so perhaps it is up to me to decide what I do after that.  
_

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**Shizuru's second excerpt**

_In one of my entries during the middle of the battle against the SUEs, I listed the many obstacles I would face in loving Natsuki, and believed that I could face them should Natsuki accept me and those risks, but that the greatest obstacle was she would not. I was wrong. The greatest obstacle was that I was unwilling to gather the courage to take the first step in telling Natsuki what my feelings were. How could I expect Natsuki to stand with me against everything if fear prevented me from telling her how I felt?_

_This point was driven home by the experiences my counterparts had, in which relationships between women were more accepted. Kruger-san had to speak her true feelings to Viola-san, and the two urged me to do the same as well. In that case, I began to realize that more people than I had imagined were facing such problems. Could the same be said of Mai-san and Tate-kun, Okuzaki-san and Takumi-kun, and Higurashi-san and Kurauchi-kun at one point or another? I realized that communicating one's feelings and understanding those of the other party was a challenge, but not an insurmountable one.  
_

_This is not to say that there are not significant risks. Natsuki could have received my confession poorly, a possibility that seems insignificant in hindsight, but was very real. My parents could potentially disown me over my sexuality. Although somewhat old-fashioned, traditional and demanding excellence from me in all things, we do love each other. Their expectations are in large part out of the belief that I have what it takes to meet them, and that meeting them will enable me to have a happier and more successful life. Ironically, now that this challenge seems surmountable, the prospect of failure has become more terrifying. Before, when I thought Natsuki and I would never be together, this risk was also one that I would never have to face. Now that Natsuki and I are together, this is something I will inevitably have to face, and I have no more idea as to how I can resolve it satisfactorily than I did before.  
_

_Natsuki, having been close to her mother, said she understands my fear. However, she said she was also close to her father before he abandoned her, and that she learned back then that parents can betray and abandon their children. She said the same thing might have also happened with her mother, and the possibility of it being true shook her to the core. But she said when doubt had consumed her and left her unable to use her powers, realizing what I meant to her and how I felt about her restored her resolve, as I was the person most important to her. Losing my parents one way or another would wound me, but I am prepared to stand by Natsuki whatever the cost._

_The greatest struggles for Natsuki and I lie ahead. However, we have already taken the first step, and whatever happens, we will continue down this path together._

* * *

**Natsuki's second excerpt**

_Supposedly, much of life depends on your perception of it. Three years ago, my mother was dead, my father had abandoned me, and I was a bitter, lonely girl. Now, my mother is still dead, my father has shown no signs of coming back, and yet I am significantly happier and more content with myself._

_I also feel more willing to leave the past in the past. My father's departure from my life is a betrayal I doubt I will ever forgive. But at the same time, this instance of someone close to me leaving my life as though I were no one of significance no longer colors my perception of all of humanity like it once did. And as for my mother, did she plan on selling me to the Searrs Foundation? Was she protecting her daughter or her investment? The chance to find out the absolute truth died with her. But she did raise me and she gave me happy memories, so whatever her true intentions were, I will hold on to my view of that mother.  
_

_My perceptions of the living who are present in my life has also changed. Nao initially seemed like a petty and spiteful person, but I also recognized the person she was as the person I could have become, and the person I am as someone she could become. Shizuru's kindness to me is more understandable now that I realize that she was in love with me for a long time- according to her, she was attracted at first sight, but love took some time to develop. Even before then, I learned more about her than her reputation suggested, and recognized that while she was not the perfect student class president she had to present herself as, she was, among many other things, a kind person who reached out to me. She wasn't entirely the perfect young woman others who saw her as, but she was, in many ways, ideal for me, and that is why I love her.  
_

_Finally, I also have changed my perceptions on what was most important to me. For a long time, I pursued revenge, blind to those around me- even not fully cognizant of what Shizuru had done for me- and not knowing what I would do after I had accomplished it. Now, having realized how little satisfaction the destruction of the First District brought me, my focus on the goal is removed, and I have begun to appreciate those who have been there for me all along.  
_

_Perceptions aside, my life has changed. I have grown as a person, fought against great threats, gained several friends and a girlfriend, and changed my view of the world. Whatever comes ahead, I will recognize that people can change, and can overcome their problems through effort. This idea will bring hope to the darkest situations, hope that I have lacked for a long time._

* * *

**Nao's second excerpt**

_As I suspect Natsuki does, I find it amazing that my worldview is so different from a while ago, particularly that of the people I fought alongside for this battle._

_-Natsuki: We have more in common than I thought, even the last time I wrote about her. I did once admit to her that it was vexing that she managed to come to terms with her own situation sooner than I did, but she responded by saying that it was a simple truth, and that often, you don't come to realizations like that on your own, but someone has to show them to you. In that regard, I think I owe her the same debt she owes Shizuru.  
_

_-Mai: I had initially thought she was self-centered and hypocritical, wanting to be seen as a "good girl" of some kind. There is indeed a discrepancy, but not between her stated motives and actual motives, but between her actual motives and the ones people perceive as such. She strives to be kind to others, for the sake of doing so, and also for her own conscience, but it often gets misconstrued as pity. In any case, she could never be as selfish as I once was._

_-Mikoto: It's wonderful to see that she's back to normal. And in fighting to save her from being manipulated by the Obsidian Lord, I learned the value of fighting to help others.  
_

_-Yukino: She's polite, soft-spoken, yet somehow she scares me more as head of the Executive Committee than Suzushiro ever could; the only way this could get worse is if she decided to run for president of the student Council.  
_

_-Shizuru: A part of me is still unhappy with the attempt on my life, but I really have no right to blame her for being a slave to brainwashing, especially when I was one before, during and after her attack. It was mainly bad luck that we happened to factor into the SUEs' plan. But one thing I have learned is that whenever you're cursing the wrongs others have inflicted on you, it's important to question- what wrongs have you inflicted upon others? I keep a wary eye out these days, hoping that my robbing perverts won't catch up to me in one way or another.  
_

_-Midori: She came through for us, and I owe her for calling Mai; without that, I might have been declared the culprit for attacking Sister. I'm still undecided about whether she's as capable as she is **despite** the carefree and childish appearance she gives off or **because** she is able to do effectively put on a mask of seeming that way.  
_

_-Sister Yukariko: My feelings for her are… mixed. Firstly, I'm angry that she betrayed us, and chose to make me a target of everyone else's rage, although I admit that my own actions made me an easy target. In the final minutes of her life, I, under the influence of brainwashing, forgave her and begged her to live on. Would I have said that normally? And is it fair or right that she essentially died stopping Ishigami? A part of me believes that it's an easy way out, rather than having to face us- including me in my true personality. Another part believes that she sacrificed an opportunity to atone for what she had done, or that she was merely Ishigami's pawn and that she didn't deserve to die just because she got manipulated by him. And yet another believes that there was no way for her to go on after everything she had done, and death was the only way she could break free of Ishigami's control over her and thwart his plan.  
_

_And my thoughts on Sister Yukariko give me new insight into the fate of another group of people who wronged me, to a greater extent and for different reasons. There is no part of me that has any sympathy, pity or sense of mercy for them, but what do they deserve? A part of me would have liked to see those robbers end their lives with ropes around their necks, but what would I have done afterward? The way things are now, though, while my mother may still be in a coma, they're still in prison- which Sister Ayame tells me is quite a bit harsher than I imagined, while I'm free to go about my life, and perhaps someday, my mother will awaken._

_So where does my life take me now? That's something for me to find out, an option that the robbers now lack. I hope, most of all, my mother will be able to see the results of my decision one day and take comfort in my ability to achieve success and find happiness despite her absence from my life.  
_

* * *

**Mai's final excerpt**

_In some regards, our battles ended with the typical happy ending; we succeeded against all odds and defeated the enemy. But in life going back to normal for most of us, some of us, like Natsuki, Nao-chan and I, have wounds that will never fully heal. And there are some of us, such as Sister, who will not be able to enjoy this new-found peace._

_Often, tragedies can be senseless. Kirihara-san murdered an unknown number of people for no reason apart from her own pleasure. Nothing was gained from its resolution apart, perhaps, one more pillar rising. Shizuru-san merely put a stop to the deaths, but could not bring any of the victims back to life or leave any positive impact on the world, especially since few will know that the seemingly random string of robberies, suicides and murders was the work of a single woman, much less how she did it.  
_

_And I doubt that we can ever go back to the way we were before; most of us have killed or been accessory to killing at least one of the SUEs. Whatever the justification may be, we will most likely never forget what we did as long as we live. But we have also come to various realizations about ourselves, whether related to our battles or not, and often emerged as stronger people with clearer perspectives on our lives and the world.  
_

_None of us could have accepted the perfect world the Usurper promised, or what any of the SUEs had in mind for it. To do so, we would have had to sacrifice everything about ourselves in order to exist in it; people's personalities often clash because they're different, but they can also complement each other, and seeing what other people are can sometimes help us to understand ourselves better. Our flaws would have been purged, but so would our identities, as adhering to the standards of perfection leaves no room for variations. Life would have been free of suffering or difficulty, but it would also have been devoid of anything truly meaningful or fulfilling.  
_

_And thus, I sacrificed the ability to change the world as I see fit for the chance to possibly leave a lasting impact on it. I sacrificed a superficial sense of bliss for the pursuit of happiness. I sacrificed a perfect world for a flawed one that we can make better or worse through our actions. Perfection is overrated, and there is no meaning to winning battles that cannot be lost. The best happy endings are the ones we earn for ourselves._

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**Author's Note**_: _Thank you for the reviews. I'm interested in hearing your your thoughts on the work, particular plot developments, and your interpretations of various characters and plot elements, so I can build on this feedback for future works. The more in-depth your reviews are, the better information I get.

This chapter is mainly intended to look back on the conflicts, and see how the Himes have progressed since writing their previous entries; if the previous entries were intended to further illustrate the SUEs and how they were doomed to failure, this is to return the focus to the Himes and see where they may go next after their victory. Some of them, as you have noticed, have drastically changed, possibly even admitting that they were wrong back then(for example, Shizuru knows where she was wrong regarding what was holding her back from confessing to Natsuki), while others stand by their their previous observations, albeit updating them in light of what they have learned (Yukino is one such example). Part of the story is how the Himes change and develop while the SUEs do not, and this is their development at the end of the Carnival, with the possibility of more to come in their future.

This is the final installment in this work for now. I may return later to show the lives of the characters past the Hime Carnival, as a way of showing the struggles ahead in the imperfect but potentially good lives they lead, but for now, I plan on going to other works. Thank you for the reviews and feedback, and I hope you enjoyed reading this story.


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